5 Suspects Fatally Wounded in Shootout With KZN Police, SA Weighs In As Youngest Member Was Only 17

• KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police were involved in a shootout with suspects in the Chatsworth area on Monday, 8 September 2025
• The suspects were wanted for various violent crimes in the Durban area, including murder, house robberies, and extortion
• South Africans weighed in on the shootout, questioning why youngsters were involved in criminal activities in the country

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

KWAZULU-NATAL - Police in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) are concerned that more youngsters are getting involved in criminal activities.

Provincial Police Spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, raised the concerns following the death of five suspects. The suspects were fatally wounded in a shootout with police in Chatsworth on Monday, 8 September 2025.

How young were the criminals?

The police confirmed that the youngest member was only 17, while the eldest was in his 20s. Netshiunda noted that it was alarming how youngsters were frequently involved in violent crimes.

The suspects were all linked to a range of criminal activities in the Durban area, including murder, house robberies, and extortion.

Suspects killed following a shootout

Netshiunda also confirmed that police were tracking suspects following an intelligence-driven operation, which led them to the Chatsworth area.“When police arrived on the scene, the suspects opened fire at them, and that’s when the shootout ensued,” Netshiunda said.

He confirmed that no police officers were injured in the gun battle, adding that they were committed to protecting the public and dismantling criminal networks that are terrorising communities.

How did South Africans react to the news?

While some social media users praised the police for dealing with the criminals decisively, others weighed in on their ages.

Hon Joshua Kalyegira Williard stated:

"This is the only way to deal with criminals. Youngsters or adults. They weren't young enough, and they chose criminality instead of working legitimately. 17 years old doesn't mean anything. He was a criminal and deserves whatever came to him."

Bone Prince Lekgotle noted:

"The youngest was 17 and the oldest was in their early twenties. Flirting with death from a young age."

Kanego Cavin Mmotong exclaimed:

"17 years, wow."

Phuti Langa asked:

"So a 17-year-old thinks he can take on the police in a gun battle?"

Braden Camp looked at it differently:

"No jobs and no apprenticeships. What do you expect from the youth? Sit back and watch politicians eating and stealing? If the leaders are stealing, what do you expect?

Wanga Mpotulo added:

"Old enough to terrorise the community, old enough to die."

Monaheng Nazo Sehapi said:

"A 17-year-old terrorising a community. Wow. Even has a gun."

Molefe Kgomotsego Daniel Alfie questioned:

"17 years? OMG! What has gone wrong with our children nowadays?"

Other shootouts in KwaZulu-Natal

Briefly News reported that there have been a number of shootouts between suspects and police in the province this year.

• The South African Police Service (SAPS) shot dead five suspects in two shootouts on 20 June 2025.
• In July 2025, KZN police killed two suspected cash-in-transit (CIT) robbers in a shootout in the province.
• On 1 September 2025, SAPS shot and killed two suspects in KwaMashu in the early hours of the morning.

Source: Briefly News