A confrontation between two friends escalated into a shooting on Saturday evening.
Picture: iStock
A series of violent incidents across KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) over the weekend has left several people injured, one man dead, and another body discovered under suspicious circumstances.
Family members wounded in KZN tavern shooting
Two members of the same family were injured during a shooting at a tavern in Thandanani, opposite Trenance Park, on Saturday night, 11 July 2026.
Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) reported receiving a call at around 8:30pm regarding the incident.
Upon arrival, emergency medical services (EMS) personnel were informed by a woman that her relatives had been shot.
Preliminary reports indicate that three unidentified armed suspects arrived at the premises and opened fire before fleeing.
A 41-year-old man sustained three gunshot wounds to both thighs, while a 12-year-old girl was shot once in the left leg.
The victims were transported to hospital in a private vehicle before emergency responders reached the scene.
Investigators later recovered five spent 9mm cartridge cartridges at the location. The motive for the attack remains unknown.
Fatal shooting in Zwelisha
In an unrelated incident on Friday night, a 35-year-old man lost his life following a shooting in Zwelisha.
Rusa responded to a call for assistance at around 11:45pm, reporting gunfire in the vicinity of a tavern and a nearby community hall along Ezwelisha Drive.
The victim was lying in the roadway with a gunshot injury to the left side of his face, close to the nose, upon arival.
The victim was found lying on the road with a gunshot wound to the left side of his face near his nose.
In addition, a spent cartridge was located near his head, and the scene bore extensive blood loss.
Family members identified the deceased as Bobo Mpanza, who had reportedly been returning home after visiting Brookdale in Phoenix.
According to reports, Mpanza had made a brief stop to purchase a drink before proceeding alone when the shooting occurred.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and investigations are ongoing.
Body discovered in sugar cane field
On Friday afternoon, authorities made a grim discovery in a sugar cane field located within the Tea Estate area of Inanda, where the body of an unidentified male, estimated to be in his late twenties, was found.
Preliminary medical observations, according to Rusa, indicated that the victim had sustained multiple serious injuries.
These included significant blunt force impact to the right side of the abdomen, visible abrasions, and a gunshot wound to the back of the left thigh with no clear exit point.
Moreover, a deep laceration measuring approximately seven centimetres was noted on the forehead, along with markings around the neck that suggest the possibility of strangulation.
At this stage, Rusa said, the events leading to his death remain unclear.
Dispute turns violent
Meanwhile, a dispute between two friends in Ottawa turned violent on Saturday night, culminating in a shooting.
The situation reportedly began earlier in the evening and escalated at approximately 8:30pm.
The incident only came to attention when a wounded driver of a white Suzuki S-Presso arrived at a service station in Waterloo, seeking urgent assistance.
According to his account, the conflict stemmed from a disagreement involving a woman, after which he was allegedly pursued by the other individual.
The confrontation intensified at the intersection of the R102 and Tottenham Road while he was stationary at a traffic light.
It is alleged that the friend exited his vehicle and approached him, leading to a physical altercation.
During the encounter, the driver sustained a gunshot wound to the left side of his chest.
In the struggle that followed, he reportedly managed to wrestle the firearm away and discharged it at his alleged attacker before leaving the scene.
The wounded driver was subsequently transported to a medical facility by his relatives.
Rusa later reported that the second individual had also been shot and was taken to hospital; however, this information could not be verified, and the severity of his injuries remains unclear.
