KEY POINTS
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Eight people were killed in a mass shooting in uMlazi’s Zama informal settlement, prompting a high-level police investigation and community outrage.
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Premier Ntuli and Minister Mchunu condemned the killings and called for stronger collaboration between police and residents to tackle illegal firearms and gang activity.
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Political leaders and residents are demanding urgent state intervention, increased policing resources, and improved infrastructure to prevent further violence.
A wave of grief and outrage has gripped the community of uMlazi, south of Durban, following a brutal shooting on Friday night that claimed the lives of eight people.
IOL reports that the victims, six men and two women aged between 22 and 40, were gunned down inside a dwelling in the Zama informal settlement, U Section. The incident has sparked national calls for stronger action against violent crime and improved community safety.
Responding to the carnage, KwaZulu-Natal police have launched a manhunt for the perpetrators, whose identities remain unknown.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, officers arrived at the scene to discover the bodies of the victims lying in pools of blood, each with multiple gunshot wounds.
“It is reported that the victims were inside the dwelling when an unknown number of suspects entered and opened fire, killing them at the scene,” said Netshiunda. Investigations into the motive behind the killings are ongoing, with police urging the public to come forward with any information that could aid in the capture of the suspects.
Premier Ntuli condemn shooting
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, who visited the crime scene on Saturday alongside Deputy Police Commissioner Major General Phumelele Makoba, expressed deep concern over the frequency of such violent incidents and called for greater community involvement in crime prevention.
“We can only end this kind of crime when members of society play their role to report to the police,” Ntuli said. “When the perpetrators are still not in cells, they are still living free, and the community will continue living in fear. That is why it is important that the police and the community work tirelessly to ensure that these perpetrators are arrested.”
Ntuli emphasized the need for infrastructural upgrades in crime-prone areas, citing the installation of high-mast lighting as one initiative aimed at deterring criminals during the night. He further indicated that the provincial government would be engaging with the eThekwini Municipality to fast-track long-delayed service delivery in informal settlements, including the promised relocation and provision of adequate housing for Zama residents.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu echoed these sentiments, describing the attack as “a horrific act of violence that has no place in our society.” He added, “We condemn this heinous crime in the strongest possible terms. Such calculated and cold-blooded violence tears at the fabric of our communities.”
Mchunu confirmed that a special investigative team has been assembled to track down the killers and called on residents to report any relevant information anonymously via the Crime Stop number (08600 10111).
The mass shooting has reignited public debate about the availability of illegal firearms and the influence of criminal gangs in KwaZulu-Natal. Members of the community say the attack is part of a disturbing trend of escalating gang-related violence in the province.
