By Bhekizenzo Zonele
A suspect wanted in connection with the murders of two KwaZulu-Natal Crime Intelligence officers has been shot and killed during a police operation in Inanda, north of Durban.
The suspect was fatally wounded during a shootout with police on Friday morning, while a member of the South African Police Service’s Special Task Force was injured in the confrontation.
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“A suspect who was wanted for the murder of two crime intelligence members who were ambushed in Mount Edgecombe was shot and fatally wounded in Inanda,” KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said.
Captain Louis Nel and Sergeant Mandla Khuzwayo were ambushed in April while travelling in an unmarked state vehicle in Mount Edgecombe.
The officers came under heavy gunfire while travelling along Flanders Drive.
Nel died at the scene, while Khuzwayo was critically wounded and airlifted to hospital. He succumbed to his injuries on 25 May.
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Police said the officers were working undercover and had been pursued by armed suspects before the attack. The attackers were reported to have been armed with high-calibre firearms.
A manhunt was launched after the ambush and a dedicated team was mobilised to pursue those responsible.
Police had not, by the time of publication, released the identity of the suspect or further details about the circumstances surrounding the shootout.
The investigation is continuing.
