KEY POINTS
- KZN VIP security company denies its officers were suspects in the shootout.
- Ipid has launched an independent investigation into the incident.
- Police claim the individuals fired at officers before being killed.
KZN VIP, a KwaZulu-Natal-based private security company, has pushed back against claims that its officers were suspects in a deadly shootout with police in the Eastern Cape.
The company insists that the four security guards killed in the confrontation were not involved in criminal activities and that circulating reports labeling them as suspects is misleading.
According to Eastern Cape police, officers engaged in a high-speed chase on February 20, 2025, after spotting two vehicles allegedly transporting firearms from Cofimvaba.
The National Intervention Unit attempted to stop the vehicles near Ndabakazi, outside Butterworth, but the suspects reportedly opened fire on police, prompting officers to return fire.
Police say six individuals were killed in the exchange, and firearms were recovered from their vehicles. Among those killed was Yanga ‘Bara’ Nyalara, a well-known extortion kingpin.
KZN VIP insists its guards were not suspects
Following the police report, KZN VIP released a statement disputing the claims, arguing that its members were wrongfully implicated.
“We want to clarify that the videos and photographs circulating on social media tell a different story,” said KZN VIP spokesperson Gareth Naidoo.
“We are hopeful that this evidence will prove the innocence of our security officers.”
The company welcomed an investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid). The agency has opened a murder case following the shooting.
Some reports alleged that the KZN VIP guards had links to a cash-in-transit robbery. They also reportedly possessed unlicensed firearms.
According to IOL, Naidoo dismissed these allegations, urging anyone with relevant information to come forward and assist the investigation.
Ipid investigating circumstances of the deadly encounter
Phaladi Shupping, spokesperson for Ipid, confirmed that the watchdog agency has launched an independent investigation into the incident.
When asked whether Ipid was aware that the deceased were private security officers, Shupping declined to provide details, stating, “The investigations are ongoing, and we cannot comment on specifics at this time.”
Meanwhile, KZN VIP demands transparency by denying that its members engaged in criminal activity during the incident. The company maintains that its officers were conducting legitimate security work, and it expects Ipid’s findings to clear their names.
Ongoing examinations of this case generated important issues regarding what occurred during the shootout. The incident raises inquiries about law enforcement procedures during the operation.
Ipid’s investigation holds great importance for the public because both sides present competing accounts which require official conclusion.
