A shooting on the corner of Ryder Street and Nelson Mandela Road (near Shoprite and Total garage) in central Port Shepstone has left four people dead.

The area was a no-go zone and closed-off as police, security personnel, EMRS, Mi7 and KZPA, as well as the Med-Evac rescue team, were on the scene.

Glen Preston of Med-Evac said that four people died on the scene, while one person was transported to hospital with critical injuries.

Preston explained that three others sustained serious injuries, while two people were treated for minor injuries.

Police

KZN SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker told The Witness that detectives are investigating four counts of murder and four counts of attempted murder.

“It is alleged that unknown gunmen approached a taxi and opened fire on the occupants,” said Naicker.

He added that the motive for the shooting is unknown and is subject to police investigation.

More shootings in the province

The latest shooting follows two incidents in Wentworth, Durban, over the weekend in which two people were killed and two others were left injured.

The Rising Sun reported that in the fatal incident, three men were ambushed by armed suspects on Saturday night.

Provincial SAPS spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo told the publication that the men were on Tara Road in the vicinity of Engen in Wentworth, when unknown gunmen opened fire on them – fatally wounding two of them.

The third man was taken to hospital.

Earlier that night a shooting occurred on Retreat Street and Ogle Road, and a Merebank resident was shot during an attempted hijacking. It is alleged that the man was accosted by four suspects as he entered the driveway of his home.

He was also taken to hospital for medical care.