On Thursday, 05 December, eight suspects planning to rob a shop owned by a foreign national in Esikhawini were fatally killed in a shootout with police in Richards Bay, just before midnight.

Acting on intelligence, police spotted the suspects’ vehicle traveling along the John Ross Highway towards Richards Bay. When police signaled the driver to stop, the vehicle sped off, leading to a high-speed chase. The suspects opened fire on the officers, prompting officers to return fire. During the exchange, all eight suspects were fatally wounded, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement.

The suspects were additionally linked to a recent cash-in-transit robbery in the Mzingazi area, and were found with three firearms, two replica firearms, and housebreaking tools. Investigations are ongoing to determine if the firearms are connected to other crimes.

This incident brings the total number of suspects shot and killed during shootouts with police this week to 10. On Wednesday 4 December, one suspect was fatally shot in Umlazi during a police operation targeting suspects wanted for a series of murders and cash-in-transit robberies. Police received a tip-off about the suspects’ location and, upon arrival at a residence in F Section, two suspects opened fire. In the ensuing shootout, one suspect was killed, and the other fled, narrowly evading capture.

On Thursday, another suspect was fatally wounded in an altercation with police in KwaMashu, while two others were arrested. Police had been searching for suspects involved in a vehicle hijacking in Phoenix. When they spotted the stolen vehicle in KwaMashu, one suspect fired at officers before fleeing on foot. After a brief chase, the suspect was found dead from gunshot wounds, and the two others were arrested. They are expected to appear in court soon.