Mass Murder Suspect Arrested After 5-Year Manhunt, Faces 9 Counts in Durban Court
- A suspect wanted for a 2021 mass shooting in KwaZulu-Natal was finally tracked down during a targeted night operation in the Melmoth area
- Police located the suspect in the Obuka area after a previous confrontation with authorities left an accomplice dead
- KZN police also launched a multi-disciplinary probe into the killing of eleven people in KwaMakhutha on Tuesday night
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KWAZULU-NATAL — A man wanted in connection with a mass shooting that claimed nine lives in Durban in 2021 has been arrested following a coordinated night operation in the Obuka area near Melmoth, bringing a five-year manhunt to a close. The arrest happened days after another massacre claimed the lives of 11 people in Durban.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed the arrest took place on Wednesday during a targeted operation carried out jointly by Polokwane and Durban law enforcement units. The suspect, who had successfully evaded capture for years, including during a prior police confrontation, was traced to his hiding place in Melmoth before officers closed in.
KwaMakhutha killings prompt separate probe
During an earlier encounter with police, an accomplice of the suspect was fatally shot. Netshiunda confirmed that investigators followed active leads from that incident, which ultimately directed authorities to the suspect's location.
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The arrested individual is expected to appear before the Durban Magistrate's Court on Friday, 25 September 2026, where he will face nine counts of murder linked to the 2021 killings.
In a separate and unrelated incident, KwaZulu-Natal police are now investigating the violent deaths of eleven people in KwaMakhutha, which occurred on Tuesday night. Netshiunda said specialised detective teams have been deployed and are actively pursuing multiple leads to determine the motive behind the killings and identify those responsible. Police indicated that arrests are anticipated as the investigation progresses.
View SAPS's statement on Facebook here:
2 pupils shot dead in KwaMashu
In a related article, Briefly News reported on the fatal shooting of two teenagers in Besters, KwaMashu, and the response from KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka. The attack left three other youths injured and prompted calls for stronger community action to protect children.
The shooting followed the death of a 19-year-old pupil at Ndengezi Intermediate School in Pinetown. Police are investigating the Besters killings as a double murder and triple attempted murder, while the suspects remain at large.
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Source: Briefly News
