DURBAN, KwaZulu-Natal — A targeted KwaBester police shooting near Ntuzuma has resulted in three suspects shot dead following an armed confrontation with law enforcement. The fatal incident, which unfolded in a residential area north-west of Durban, has immediately triggered an extensive manhunt for two additional wanted individuals who managed to flee the scene.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Amanda Funani confirmed that officers were executing a high-risk search operation for wanted persons when they located a group of five suspects hiding inside a local residence. Upon being approached by law enforcement, the suspects initiated the gunfire, forcing police to retaliate in self-defense. Three individuals, aged between 20 and 23, sustained fatal injuries during the exchange.
The two surviving suspects remain at large as authorities continue active, coordinated sweeps of the surrounding Ntuzuma and greater eThekwini regions. Colonel Funani noted that the group was actively sought in connection with a string of local murders, armed robberies, and illegal firearms offenses. Investigators have successfully secured three weapons from the scene, which are now scheduled for comprehensive ballistic testing to potentially link them to previous criminal activities in the area.
In a separate emergency response within the broader eThekwini municipality, rescue crews were dispatched to the Nazareth Baptist Church in the eBhutini village of Inanda following a sudden structural failure. A retaining wall, measuring approximately five meters in length and under construction, collapsed shortly after 12:00.
Approximately eight individuals were initially trapped beneath the heavy debris. However, quick-thinking church members intervened, transporting the victims to medical facilities before official rescue units could fully mobilize on site. Two victims were reported to be in critical condition, while six others sustained minor injuries and were treated at a nearby local clinic by 15:00.
Emergency response teams, utilizing sniffer dogs and Tractor Loader Backhoes (TLBs) to safely clear the rubble, conducted a thorough and methodical search of the site from midday until 3:00 PM. Officials have since declared the area secure, confirming that the canine units and structural assessments found no further individuals trapped beneath the collapsed wall.
Authorities are urging any community members with information regarding the whereabouts of the two fleeing suspects from the KwaBester incident to contact their nearest police station or submit anonymous tips through official crime-stopping channels.