Three people were tragically killed in the Muden area, outside Greytown in KwaZulu-Natal, shortly after casting their votes early on Thursday morning. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda provided details of the incident and ongoing investigations.
According to reports, three men and three women visited a homestead that also functions as a spaza shop when they were ambushed by a group of assailants.
The three men, aged 22, 24, and 25, were declared dead at the scene. One woman sustained injuries and was rushed to the hospital, while the other two women managed to escape unharmed.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Gauteng Police Arrest 20 For Election-Related Crimes
Colonel Netshiunda stated that police investigations have revealed that the vehicle in which the victims were travelling was reported stolen in Johannesburg. The police in Muden are currently investigating three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder.
In a separate but equally tragic incident, a 40-year-old man was shot and killed inside a vehicle near a voting station at Swayimana High School in the uMgungundlovu district on Wednesday evening.
Netshiunda explained that the deceased was seated in his vehicle with another man when an assailant exited a white VW Polo parked in front of them, armed with a rifle, and opened fire. One occupant of the vehicle was declared dead at the scene, while the other managed to escape unharmed.
The assailants from both incidents remain unknown at this stage, and the motives for the killings have not yet been established. Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding either of the incidents to report to their nearest police station.
The police are working diligently to bring the perpetrators to justice and restore peace in the affected communities.