Port Shepstone mass shooting suspect arrested

A suspect linked to the mass shooting at Port Shepstone taxi rank where four people were gunned down was arrested while on a mission to execute a planned assassination. 

The two were arrested on Tuesday, 22 August 2023 following operationalised intelligence by the Provincial Taxi Violence Task Team members, working together with the Tactical Response Team (TRT).

SUSPECT LINKED TO PORT SHEPSTONE MASS SHOOTING ARRESTED 

South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal, Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the two suspects were cornered and the vehicle they were travelling in was intercepted on the N2 southbound near Ballito on Tuesday afternoon.

“Upon searching the vehicle, the suspects were found to be in possession of two firearms, a rifle and a pistol as well as a number of ammunition. One of the suspects was positively linked to a mass shooting in Port Shepstone on 25 July 2023 where four people were fatally wounded and five left injured when a taxi they were seated in was shot at,” he said. 

The suspects, aged 33 and 37 years old will appear in the KwaDukuza Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 24 August 2023.

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ALLEGED MURDERER NABBED AT A DURBAN MALL

Meanwhile, a suspect was arrested at a shopping mall in Durban in connection with the mass shooting in Umlazi, Q Section where seven people were killed.

The suspect was arrested on Sunday, 13 August 2023. 

Netshiunda said a multi-disciplinary team comprising officers from the Serious and Violent Crimes Murder and Robbery Unit, Provincial Stabilization Team, Phoenix Trio Task Team and Crime Intelligence, operationalised intelligence and followed leads in Umbumbulu, Umlazi, Empandwini and Pitela areas. 

The suspect made his first appearance at the Umlazi Magistrates Court on Tuesday, 15 August 2023 facing seven charges of murder and one of attempted murder. He also appeared on Tuesday, 22 August and abandoned bail.