KZN Primary School Teacher and Children Among Victims in Ezakheni Ambush

• A teacher from Ngcede Primary School was among those shot and killed in Ezakheni in KwaZulu-Natal
• Six people died after unknown assailants shot at a bakkie they were travelling in the township near Ladysmith
• Police said two men and three women who were also in the bakkie, sustained injuries and were rushed to hospital

Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered crime and current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.

KWAZULU-NATAL - A primary school teacher and her two children were among the six people who were shot and killed in an ambush in Ezakheni near Ladysmith.

Six lives lost in KZN ambush

KwaZulu-Natal’s Education MEC, Sipho Hlomuka, reportedly confirmed that Ngcede Primary School educator Mrs Thusi and her two children were among those who lost their lives on 17 June 2024.

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According to TimesLIVE, 12 people were travelling in a bakkie when a car approached, and its occupants shot at the van. An SAPS statement revealed that the 37-year-old woman, two 17-year-olds, a 15-year-old, and two girls aged five and two were declared dead at the scene. KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said two men and three women, who also sustained injuries in the bakkie, were rushed to hospital.

The motive of the attack is yet unknown; however, police confirmed that a case was opened.

Citizens question police presence

Many South Africans were stunned that the shooting took place after thousands of police officers were deployed to the province.

@Nuttybankz11 commented:

“This is why we need police hit squads.”

@TebogoMosiane13 asked:

“What are the police doing that side when people are being killed?”

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@BQ_Kunene wondered:

“17 000 police deployed in KZN?”

@TlotlisoPraise said:

“So people killed each other even in the midst of all that police presence and yet one thinks SA is safe. Mxm yazi let me tool.”

@mphokophelo pleaded with authorities:

“While at it pls, deal with police stations like Ladysmith, Bergville, and Greytown cause crime is high in these areas, and cases end up being cold while many killings are there. Pls police.”

CIT suspects gunned down in KZN

Briefly News reported that the SAPS in KZN was involved in a shootout with suspected criminals.

The incident occurred in the early hours of 16 May 2024, and it's believed to be related to cash-in-transit incidents.

Netizens called for the KZN police to be transferred to Gauteng to deal with the increasing crime rate in the province.

Source: Briefly News