Fatal Shooting on Botanic Gardens Road in Berea, Durban Leaves 1 Man Dead

• A man in his twenties was shot dead on Botanic Gardens Road in Berea just after 7:30 AM
• ALS Paramedics, SAPS, and security personnel responded, but the victim was declared deceased on the scene
• Authorities say the man allegedly attacked a SAPS officer and are investigating the circumstances of the fatal incident

DURBAN — A fatal shooting shook the Berea area just after 7:30 AM this morning, leaving a man in his twenties dead on Botanic Gardens Road.

What happened?

Briefly News was notified by ALS Paramedics, who responded to the scene, where SAPS officers and multiple security personnel were already present. Spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said paramedics were shown the male victim, who had sustained a gunshot wound to the head. Despite a medical assessment, he was declared deceased on site.

It is alleged that the man attacked an off-duty SAPS official, who retaliated. All relevant authorities are investigating the incident further.

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Reporter Dessan Thathiah also shared about the incident on his X account, drawing several responses from South Africans about crime in KZN.

Social media reacts

@modisemoletsane said:

"Executed by the police. IPID should investigate this case thoroughly."

@Prettyboy_056 wrote:

"They blew up, that brain that doesn't want to work. How many times must we tell them not to mess with KZN police officers."

@KakPersonzw stated:

"Trying to rob a cop in broad daylight. That’s a plot twist nobody survives. Stay safe out there, Durban."

@Bet38961207 commented:

"Off-duty police and soldiers always make sure, when they are confronted by criminals!

@RealMbombo said:

"They never learn. Sibiya is gone now, there's no place for criminals in KZN. SAPS will put them down like the dogs they are."

Articles on shootouts with police

• Two separate shootouts occurred in KwaZulu-Natal on 19 November, and both had fatalities as police officers engaged suspects. The suspects were wanted for robbery and murder, and the police apprehended them, leading to a shootout.
• Police in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) have shot dead three suspects in two separate shootings on 16 December 2025. The suspects were linked to various crimes, including murder, hijackings, kidnappings and a cash-in-transit heist.
• A chase between police and three suspects left two of the men dead at a petrol station near the Pavilion Mall in the Westville area. Police apprehended a third occupant, who was uninjured in the shootout, while the other two suspects were declared deceased on the scene.
• The South African Police Service shot and killed a suspected cop killer in KwaZulu-Natal on the morning of 10 September. The Hawks tracked the suspect after he allegedly murdered a police officer in a road-rage incident in which the officer's wife survived.
• The South African Police Service (SAPS) in KwaZulu-Natal hunted down a group of suspects hours after they allegedly committed a cash-in-transit heist in Verulam on 23 February 2026.

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Briefly News also reported that 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.

Source: Briefly News