This is the third police shootout with suspects this week.
Five suspects wanted in connection with cases of murder, attempted murder, including attempted murder of police officers, and house robberies have been fatally wounded in a shootout with police in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
The gun battle took place at Bester Area 10 in Inanda in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Havoc
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the suspects have been wreaking havoc in Inanda and the surrounding areas.
“At the end of November 2025, the suspects attempted to kill police officers by shooting at them, and they have been elusive since. On Thursday morning, police received information about their whereabouts, and the intelligence was operationalised.”
Five suspects who were wanted in connection with cases of murder, attempted murder, including attempted murder on police officers and house robberies were shot and fatally wounded in a shootout with police in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). @TheCitizen_News pic.twitter.com/5X9qtzaysl
— Faizel Patel (@FaizelPatel121) January 8, 2026
Shootout
Netshiunda said when police arrived at the scene, the suspects fired shots at the officers through the door.
“To protect themselves and those in the vicinity of the house, police returned fire, and during the shootout, five suspects were fatally wounded. Four firearms were recovered.”
Netshiunda said no police officer was injured during the shootout.
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KZN police shootouts
This is the third police shootout with suspects this week.
On Wednesday, two suspects who were wanted in connection with the shooting of four people, which left two dead and one injured in Ezimangweni in Inanda, were killed in a shootout with officers in KZN.
The gun battle at Amaoti in Inanda followed a deadly confrontation on Tuesday night when four people were shot in Ezimangweni.
Netshiunda said officers had earlier arrested five suspects for the Ezimangweni murders. They were found in possession of one firearm and a replica gun.
AK-47 suspects
On Monday, two suspects brandishing high-calibre AK-47 rifles were shot dead in an intense gun battle, also with KZN police.
KZN police spokesperson Captain Ntathu Ndlovu said the shooting took place in Margate in the Uvongo area.
“Two suspects were fatally wounded when they engaged police in a shootout.”
Ndlovu said police were acting on intelligence relating to individuals in possession of unlicensed firearms.
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