3 Suspected Extortionists Shot Dead by Mthatha TRT in Ngqeleni Gunfight
- Three suspected extortionists were killed in a shootout with the Mthatha Tactical Response Team in Ngqeleni on Monday, 2 November 2026
- Police said the men opened fire on officers who approached them after receiving a tip-off about extortion at local shops in Nothintsila
- Three pistols with filed-off serial numbers were found at the scene as IPID launched a probe into the deaths
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Source: Twitter
EASTERN CAPE — Three extortion suspects died during a shootout with the Mthatha Tactical Response Team (TRT) in Ngqeleni's Nothintsila location on Monday morning, 2 November 2026. Members of the specialised police unit escaped the confrontation without injury.
According to Eastern Cape SAPS representative Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana, law enforcement acted on intelligence regarding men demanding money from local traders. Officers intercepted individuals matching the description while driving along a dirt road in Nothintsila around 10:15. Crime journalist Yusuf Abramjee posted on his X account about the incident.
View his tweet here:
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Suspects shot first, SAPS responded
The suspects initiated gunfire as TRT members approached on foot. Police returned fire, fatally wounding all three men at the scene. Authorities seized three handguns containing defaced serial numbers. Investigations are underway to verify the identities of the deceased, with SAPS registering dockets for attempted murder alongside unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) attended the scene to commence a mandatory inquiry, as required by the IPID Act whenever police action results in fatalities.
This shooting follows a similar operation in Nothintsila in January 2026, where TRT officers killed a 35-year-old extortion suspect connected to a tavern incident. Provincial police leadership continues to urge community members to report protection rackets, pointing out that unreported extortion hampers anti-crime efforts despite the establishment of a dedicated 24-hour hotline in Mthatha.
3 suspects killed in Tshwane shootout
In a related article, Briefly News reported on three suspected cash-in-transit robbers killed in a police shootout on the R80 in Pretoria, while a fourth suspect was wounded and arrested. Police recovered firearms, but details about how the confrontation began remain unclear.
In KwaZulu-Natal, police killed three suspected cash-in-transit robbers in two separate shootouts in 2025, and recovered a weapon taken from a security guard. In another case, four suspects were arrested after allegedly using a Mercedes-Benz and explosives to steal R8,000 in coins from an armoured vehicle.
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Source: Briefly News
