Two 19-year-old boys were injured in a drive-by shooting shortly after leaving a tavern in Cottonlands, KwaZulu-Natal, on Friday night.

Prem Balram, spokesperson for Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) said just before 22:00, a white Toyota Quantum drove to Rusa’s headquarters with the injured teens.

“One of the boys was found to have suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his right arm, back and abdomen while the second teenager suffered an injury to his head,” said Balram.

According to the teenagers, Balram said they left a tavern and were travelling in their bakkie in the direction of Ndwedwe when they realised that they were being followed.

“The driver sped up when the occupants of the vehicle following them opened fire. They veered off the road and crashed their vehicle. They fled on foot into a bush where they hid from their attackers.”

He said after a while, the two boys came out of the bush and sought assistance from a resident who drove them to Rusa.

Balram said the boys were stabilised before they were taken to hospital.