KwaZulu-Natal Shootings Leave Three People Dead, Men Killed in Umlazi and Durban Within 24 Hours
- Two separate shootings in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) left three people dead in Umlazi and Durban
- Two of the men were wanted by police for various crimes, while the other was gunned down
- South Africans took to social media to weigh in on the shootings, sharing mixed reactions to the news
Source: Facebook
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 – Three people have been killed in two separate shootings in KwaZulu-Natal in less than 24 hours.
One of the shootings happened in Umlazi on Monday night, 20 October 2025, while the other happened on Tuesday morning, 21 October 2025, in Durban. One person has also been hospitalised following the shootings.
Wanted suspects shot dead in Umlazi
In the first shooting, two wanted suspects were killed in a shootout with police in Umlazi. The men, aged 27 and 30, were wanted in connection with housebreaking and armed robbery cases in Harding. During the search for the men, police received information which led them to the informal settlement in Glebelands Hostel.
When officers arrived, the suspects opened fire at them, resulting in a shootout. Both men were killed when police returned fire. Two unlicensed guns and ammunition were also recovered from the scene. Detectives are now working on linking the men to other armed robbery and hijacking cases.
Man killed during drive-by shooting
On Tuesday morning, one man was killed, and another was seriously injured during a drive-by shooting. The motive for the shooting is not yet known, but paramedics confirmed the men were attacked while driving in Durban. The driver was rushed to the hospital, but the passenger was declared dead at the scene.
“Paramedics assessed the two men; however, one of them, the passenger, had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and there was nothing paramedics could do for him," ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said.
South Africans weigh in on KZN shootings
Social media users weighed in on the shootings, sharing mixed reactions to the news.
On the suspects killed in the shootout:
Mfanafuthi Pota Yamela joked:
“At this rate, by December, there will only be four of us left here in Umlazi.”
Danny Chin stated:
“Yo, KZN police. Big ups. No taking prisoners. Too much paperwork?”
Akhile Gcume noted:
“Being a criminal in KZN nowadays is tantamount to signing your own death warrant.”
Rick Gerber said:
“KZN cops are showing the rest of SA how it's done. Proud of our boys in blue.”
Nina Watts added:
“KZN police don't play.”
On the drive-by shooting:
Khali Khawula noted:
“Just imagine, Durban Central Police Station is half a kilometre away from the scene.”
Pandhari Aryan said:
“The irony is that the police station and court are in the background. Deep meaning.”
Patricia Ogle claimed:
“All these hits are drug cartels or tender-related.”
Wendy Singh said:
“These drive-by shootings and hits are becoming so common in Durban. You are not safe anywhere these days.”
Rohan Paco Ramnarain alleged:
“It was drug-related. The guys who were shot were known drug dealers from a community south of Durban.”
Other shootouts in KZN
Briefly News reported that there have been a few shootouts in KZN in recent months.
- A suspected cop killer was shot dead on the morning of 10 September 2025 after a shootout with police.
- The South African Police Service fatally wounded a paroled murderer on 15 September 2025.
- On 14 October 2025, two suspected armed robbers were shot and killed by police in Waterfall, Durban.
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Source: Briefly News
