Police Search for Escapee Following Fatal Shootout in KwaZulu-Natal
- The South African Police in KwaZulu-Natal are on a manhunt for a suspect after a shootout in Adams Mission
- Police said that investigations are continuing to link the suspects to additional cases
- KwaZulu-Natal authorities recovered firearms from the scene for ballistic testing
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Facebook
KWAZULU-NATAL, DURBAN - Police have launched a manhunt for a suspect who fled after a shootout with officers that left four people dead in Adams Mission, south of Durban, on Thursday, 29 January 2026.
Shootout with officers left four people dead
KwaZulu-Natal police said officers confronted a group of suspects on Sheleni Road while attempting to arrest them in connection with several crimes in the area. A shootout followed, during which four suspects were fatally wounded, while a fifth escaped.
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Police spokesperson Brigadier Robert Netshiunda said officers recovered two firearms at the scene, which will be sent for ballistic testing to determine whether they were used in other crimes, including murder. He said investigations are continuing to link the suspects to additional cases, while the search for the remaining suspect remains underway.
Other shootouts in KZN
KwaZulu-Natal police have shot and killed four suspects during a gunfight in Woodlands on 16 January 2026. The confrontation comes just a day after the group allegedly carried out a daring robbery that was captured on CCTV. Authorities say KwaZulu-Natal police also arrested three others and injured one, following an intelligence-led operation.
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Two wanted suspects have been fatally wounded in a shootout with police in Inanda, northwest of Durban. The suspects, who were wanted for murders and robberies, were killed in the shootout on 24 January 2026. They were traced to the area by the South African Police Service Inanda Task Team. Two other suspects, who were part of the group, fled the scene. One of the suspects has been wanted for two years and was traced by task team members to a house in the uMzinyathi area in Inanda.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) in KwaZulu-Natal shot and killed a suspected hijacker in KwaNdengezi on 10 September 2025. The shootout happened on the same day that police took down an alleged cop killer. According to journalist Dasen Thathiah, the police from Amanzimtoti teamed up with SAPS from Umkomaas, the Umzinto K9 unit, ET Rapid Response, TRT, and Matrix/Beam-e Tacking. The multidisciplinary operation tracked down a hijacked Toyota Quantum.
5 Suspects killed in KZN shootout
In a related article, Briefly News reported that five suspects were shot and killed during a shootout with the police on 8 September 2025. The incident happened in the Chatsworth area, and the suspects were wanted for a string of crimes.
The suspects were reportedly linked to crimes committed in the Durban area. When the police arrived at the scene, the suspects opened fire, and the police responded. The youngest suspect who was killed was 17.
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Source: Briefly News
