At the time of the incident, Umzinto K9 Unit members, Sgt Max Khan and Cst Pagel Rajah were following up on information of a man in possession of an unlicensed firearm. “They proceeded to Area Afrika in Umgababa in search of him shortly before midnight on 20 February.
Dressed in official police uniform and driving a marked police vehicle, they approached the suspect’s residence. It is alleged when they knocked and identified themselves, a voice from within the building swore at them and the lights were turned off. The policemen noticed although the door was shut, it was not locked so they pushed it open only to find themselves looking into the barrel of a 9mm pistol. The suspect fired at them, they dived out of the line of fire and took cover behind a concrete building. The policemen returned fire. During the exchange of gunfire, the man fled into bushes at the rear of the house,” said Capt Thulani Zwane of the KZN police media centre.
A short while later, Khan and Rajah were alerted to the arrival of an ambulance in the area to attend to a man who had sustained gunshot wounds to his right hand and left leg. “They identified the injured man as the gunman who had attempted to kill them. The man was placed under arrest. Upon being questioned on the whereabouts of the firearm, he informed them he had left it with Samukelo Ronald Dlamini (36) for safekeeping.
The suspect led police to Dlamini’s residence, where they recovered the pistol and eight live rounds of 9mm ammunition. The serial number of the pistol had been filed off. Dlamini was arrested and charged for being in unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. He appeared in Umbumbulu Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 21 February.” The 43-year-old gunman was charged with attempted murder. He was held in police custody and received medical attention for his gunshot wounds. He is expected to appear in Umbumbulu Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 24 February.
