By Palesa Nguqu
Police are still hunting at least two suspects after a shooting in Wentworth, south of Durban, that left two young men dead and seven others injured.
The attack took place on Major Calvert Street on Friday.
According to police, a group was seated outside a block of flats when a grey Mazda 3 pulled up and two men got out and opened fire.
The people scattered as the gunmen pursued them, firing multiple rounds.
A 19-year-old and a 22-year-old died at the scene, while seven others sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to nearby hospitals. During the attack, a dog was also shot and killed.
KwaZulu-Natal South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda told Inside Metros that investigators could not yet definitively classify the attack as gang-related, and called on residents to assist police.
“Investigations are ongoing. Police are urging those who have information regarding the incident to inform the police. We are encouraging community members to isolate criminals by giving tip-offs to the police about criminals in Wentworth and surrounding areas,” Netshiunda said.
While the motive remains unclear, Netshiunda said officers suspected that gang rivalries and drug turf wars might have contributed to the shooting.
“We are doing everything possible to bring those responsible to justice and to restore safety in the area,” he said.
He said a manhunt was under way for at least two suspects believed to be involved and that police were deepening cooperation with local structures.
“We are strengthening relations with communities through the Community Police Forum. Intelligence has also been deployed in the area to sniff out suspected criminals,” Netshiunda said.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli said he had spoken to provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to request additional deployments in the area following the killings.
“The people of KwaZulu-Natal deserve to live in safe and peaceful environments. We cannot allow gun-wielding criminals to hold our communities hostage. I am calling for immediate action, strengthened policing operations, and the full weight of the law to be brought upon those responsible for this barbaric act,” he said.
Ntuli said he would take the premier’s crime-fighting imbizo to Wentworth to engage directly with residents, alongside law enforcement and crime-fighting agencies.
Residents say the killings form part of a broader pattern of violence in Wentworth, which has seen a rise in shootings and gang-related clashes in recent months, leaving communities fearful and demanding stronger interventions.
Earlier this month, police executed two search warrants in Hime Street, Wentworth, seizing a substantial quantity of cocaine — including pure and powdered forms, crack cocaine and miracle powder — with an estimated street value of R50,000.
The raid was carried out by the Durban Metro Police Department in partnership with other law-enforcement agencies and followed a spike in shootings in the area.
Last year, the community was shaken by a series of violent confrontations linked to turf wars between rival gangs competing for control of drug routes and territory. Despite increased patrols and community policing initiatives, residents say the violence has continued.
INSIDE METROS