Nine suspects killed in police shootouts across KwaZulu-Natal this week
Police forensic analysts at a house in Inanda where five suspects were shot dead in a shootout with police on Thursday morning.
Image: SA Police Service / Facebook
KwaZulu-Natal has seen a series of deadly police shootouts over the past three days, with nine suspects shot and fatally wounded during separate operations in Inanda and along the South Coast as police pursued individuals linked to violent crimes and illegal firearms.
Incident in Inanda
The most recent incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning at Bester Area 10 in Inanda. In a media statement issued by the Office of the Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in KwaZulu-Natal, police said, “Five suspects who were wanted in connection with cases of murder, attempted murder, including attempted murder of police officers and house robberies were shot and fatally wounded in a shootout with police at Bester Area 10 in Inanda.”
Police said the suspects had been “wreaking havoc in the area of Inanda and its surroundings.” According to SAPS, the group had previously targeted police officers.
“At the end of November 2025, the suspects attempted to kill police officers by shooting at them, and they have been elusive ever since.”
On Thursday, police acted on fresh intelligence. The statement said, “On Thursday morning, police received information about their whereabouts and the intelligence was operationalised.”
When officers arrived at the house, the suspects allegedly opened fire.
“When police arrived at the scene, the suspects fired shots towards police officers through the door.”
Officers returned fire and “during the shootout, five suspects were shot and fatally wounded.”
Four firearms were recovered at the scene, and police confirmed that “a thorough search of the house was yet to be conducted.” SAPS also confirmed that “no police officer was injured during the shootout.”
Previous Shootouts
The incident follows another deadly confrontation in Inanda just a day earlier. On Wednesday afternoon, January 7, two suspects linked to a multiple shooting were killed during a police operation in Amaoti.
According to SAPS, “Two suspects who were wanted in connection with the shooting of four people, which left two dead and one injured at Ezimangweni area in Inanda on Tuesday night (January 6), were shot and fatally wounded in a shootout with police at Amaoti in Inanda.”
Police said five suspects had already been arrested in connection with the Ezimangweni murders and were found in possession of “one firearm and a replica gun”.
Further investigations led officers to a residence in Amaoti where two more suspects were hiding.
The statement said, “When police arrived at the scene, the suspects opened fire towards police officers, and police retaliated.”
SAPS said the suspects had been “terrorising areas of Amaoti, Phoenix and Mzomusha” and were found in possession of “two firearms.”
The weapons are expected to undergo ballistic analysis.
Earlier in the week, on Monday, 5 January 2026, two suspects were killed during a police operation in the Uvongo area under the Margate policing precinct.
SAPS reported that “Two suspects were fatally wounded when they engaged police in a shootout in the policing area of Margate in the Uvongo area, and five unlicensed firearms, including two AK47 assault rifles, were recovered.”
Police said officers were acting on intelligence and announced their presence before entering the house.
According to SAPS, “The members penetrated the house, and upon entering, the two occupants inside the house fired shots at the police. Police returned fire, and two suspects were fatally wounded.” Police recovered “two AK 47 assault rifles… as well as three pistols,” and confirmed that no officers were injured.
However in this incident, the family of the deceased 35-year-old Mlondi Zithumane Gasela, owner of Gasela Protection Services has questioned the police's version of events. Gasela and his 49-year-old bodyguard, Mlungisi Gambushe were killed.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has confirmed that the Uvongo incident is under investigation. It will also be mandated to investigate the shootouts.