No Shootout As 3 Wanted for Lusikisiki Killings Arrested in KwaZulu-Natal, Community Praised

No Shootout As 3 Wanted for Lusikisiki Killings Arrested in KwaZulu-Natal, Community Praised

  • Police arrested three wanted suspects in connection with the Lusikisiki shootings a day after launching a manhunt
  • A community tip-off led to the trio's hide-out at a Port Shepstone informal settlement on Wednesday, 16 October 2024
  • A day earlier, on Tuesday, police released the names and photos of four suspects to the public, seeking information
Police arrest 3 in KZN wanted for Lusikisiki shootings without incident
A further three suspects tied to the killing of 18 in Lusikisiki were arrested in Port Shepstone after a manhunt. Images: @DasenThathiah
Source: Twitter

PORT SHEPSTONE — Police made further breakthroughs with the arrest of an additional three suspects linked to the murders of 18 people in Lusikisiki.

The arrests on Wednesday, 16 October 2024, in Port Shepstone followed the public release of their names and photos one day earlier.

Police arrest 3 for Lusikisiki shootings

KwaZulu-Natal police arrested three of the four men during an intelligence-driven operation in the early hours.

Read also

Alleged killer cop Rachel Shokane and relatives' insurance fraud case postponed

Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said a community member blew the whistle on their whereabouts in the Mkholombe informal settlement.

And unlike the arrest of most dangerous suspects in KwaZulu-Natal and, more recently, the Eastern Cape, no shootout occurred.

"The police [undertook] a swift operation, arresting the three suspects, aged 22, 24 and 31 [without incident]," said Netshiunda.
"The operation is ongoing, with police searching for a firearm which the suspects allegedly used in the commission of the crime."

Meanwhile, a 45-year-old parolee, Siphosoxolo Myekethe, who police arrested on 7 October, appeared briefly for a second time in the Lusikisiki Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, 15 October, where he abandoned bail.

He was arrested in Mthinde Location, Mamfengwini area, near Lusikisiki.

National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola thanked the public for banding with law enforcement to hunt down the wanted men:

"Thank you for the overwhelming support in providing information on their whereabouts. Communities rallied together and informed police where to find them, less than 24 hours from the time the issuing of the alert."

Read also

Cops nab 2 others linked to Limpopo policewoman's murderous insurance scheme, SA engrossed

Bergville man stabs 5 relatives, 2 children

In another massacre, Briefly News reported that a violent knife attack left five people dead, among them two children, and two others fighting for their lives.

Police arrested a 33-year-old man early on Sunday, 13 October, and charged him for the attack in Bethany village, Bergville.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Tshepiso Mametela avatar

Tshepiso Mametela (Head of Current Affairs Desk) Tshepiso Mametela is a seasoned journalist with eight years of experience writing for online and print publications. He is the current affairs Head of Desk at Briefly News. He was a news reporter for The Herald, a senior sports contributor at Opera News SA, and a reporter for Caxton Local Media’s Bedfordview and Edenvale News and Joburg East Express community titles. He has attended media workshops, including the crime and court reporting one by the Wits Justice Project and Wits Centre for Journalism in 2024. Email: tshepiso.mametela@briefly.co.za