Police Minister Bheki Cele has confirmed that two people have been arrested in connection with the deaths of 10 family members who were massacred in their home in Imbali, outside Pietermaritzburg early on Friday morning.
Cele, who was joined by national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola during the inspection of the crime scene, said a third suspect was shot dead by the police while the fourth suspect sustained injuries.
Another suspect managed to flee and the police have cast a net wide in search of him.
Seven women and three men lost their lives when armed men stormed their home and sprayed them with bullets.
“The youngest would be 13, the oldest 63, who happened to be the mother of the house. It does look like it is a family. It is a crime scene, terrible, too many people were lost here,” Cele said.
“We thank the police that they managed to respond quickly. They have arrested two people, one was injured, one is dead, and another one ran away. Three firearms were recovered.”
The mass killing brings to 14 the number of people murdered in KwaZulu-Natal in the past 24 hours.
Four men were gunned down in KwaMashu B section on Thursday afternoon. It is alleged that the group was relaxing in a house when four men entered their room and opened fire.
Two brothers, a neighbour, and a friend who was visiting from Phoenix were killed in the attack. It has been reported that the killers used a vehicle belonging to one of the deceased to escape.
A massive manhunt for the suspects is under way and the police are investigating the motive for the shooting.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Netshiunda said early on Friday: “The reports we are getting are that the suspects believed to be between three and four came to the house, opened fire and killed all [the] four [victims] instantly.
“They came on foot but left with a vehicle that belong [sic] to one of the deceased, the one who had visited [from Phoenix].”
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