A shootout with police in the early hours of Thursday morning resulted in the deaths of five suspects connected to a number of serious crimes, including murder and attempted murder, attacks on police officers, and house robberies.
The confrontation took place at Bester Area 10 in Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal, following intelligence-driven operations by law enforcement.
According to the police, the suspects had allegedly been terrorising Inanda and surrounding communities for several months.
The cops further confirmed that the group had been on the run since the end of November, after allegedly attempting to kill police officers by opening fire on them.
Despite extensive efforts to apprehend them, the suspects had remained elusive until intelligence revealed their location in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Upon arrival at the identified house, police officers came under gunfire from the suspects, who allegedly shot through the door.
Firearms recovered at the scene
The police officers returned fire to protect themselves and nearby residents. During the exchange, all five suspects were fatally wounded.
Four firearms were recovered at the scene, and police indicated that a full and thorough search of the premises was still to be conducted.
No police officers were injured during the operation.
Meanwhile, on December 30, three suspects were shot dead after engaging police in a shootout in KwaZulu-Natal.
The incident unfolded in Newlands West, where officers were responding to a reported business robbery.
According to police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Magwaza, members from Newlands East were alerted to a robbery at a tavern in the Honeyrich area.
On arrival, officers were informed that the tavern owner had been locked up when five armed men confronted him at gunpoint, robbing him of cellphones, alcohol, and an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing the scene in a white Toyota Etios.
