Four suspects wanted for taxi industry-related murders were shot and killed in a high-speed shootout with police in Mooi River, KwaZulu-Natal.
This incident unfolded on a Monday afternoon and involved an intelligence-led police operation aimed at apprehending the suspects responsible for a string of violent crimes linked to the region’s taxi industry.
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Details of the Pursuit
The police, acting on credible information, intercepted a vehicle on the N3 highway that was believed to be carrying the suspects. Upon signalling the driver to stop, the suspects refused and embarked on a reckless escape.
They took the Hidcote turnoff, veering onto the R103 road towards Estcourt, all while engaging in an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement.
Consequences of the Gun Battle
During the tense shootout, police officers faced a barrage of bullets but returned fire to protect themselves and other road users. The confrontation resulted in the deaths of all four occupants of the suspect vehicle.
Officials recovered two firearms—a rifle and a pistol—along with ammunition at the scene. Law enforcement emphasised that although their vehicle was extensively damaged by gunfire, no police officers sustained injuries during the encounter.
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One of the deceased suspects, a 40-year-old man, was particularly wanted for his involvement in the Bergville shootings that took the lives of a taxi association chairperson and his deputy earlier this year.
Authorities are now conducting ballistic testing on the recovered firearms to determine any connections to other violent incidents across the province and nationally.
