Police in KwaZulu-Natal have confirmed that the nine men who died during a gun battle with police in the Desai area, part of Marianhill near Pinetown, on Wednesday morning were a menace to society and were caught while hatching an assassination plan.
Robert Netshiunda, a spokesperson for the police in the province, said the men, whose ages range from 18 to 23, were on the police radar for serious violent crimes.
“The suspects, together with two others who have fled, were wanted for serious crimes,” Netshiunda said.
“When they were caught, they attempted to ambush the police because they knocked on the wrong house, but they failed.”
Unlicensed firearms confiscated
He said the men were caught with three unlicensed firearms in their possession.
When police swooped on the suspects, said Netshiunda, they had been planning a hit; however, he declined to give more details on the nature of the contract killing.
Sunday World has established that, among the crimes, the men gang-raped a teenager while her mother was forced to watch.
The incident happened during a house robbery in the area.
According to a member of the local policing forum, the gun-wielding young men were terrorising residents by extorting money, saying it was a protection fee.
They also hounded residents out of their homes.
Political-related contract murders
“What the police have done should have happened a long time ago. Criminals should be taught the lesson that if you engage in a gun battle with the police, you will be killed,” said Dalisu Ncube, a member of the community policing forum.
“We were living at their mercy, and they terrorised the residents to hell.”
KwaZulu-Natal has become one of the most feared provinces for assassinations and violent crimes, with scores of political-related contract murders taking place.
In February 2023, rapper AKA, real name Kiernan Forbes, was cornered and shot dead in the head execution style in the heart of Durban CBD.
According to the evidence before the Durban magistrate’s court, AKA’s life was worth close to a million rands.
