A man died on the scene after he hit a truck on high speed at the back on the N1. north. Image: Gerd Altmann/Pixabay
A man died on the scene after he hit a truck on high speed at the back on the N1. north. Image: Gerd Altmann/Pixabay
Heinous scenes unfolded on Saturday, with a man embarking on a brutal killing spree in which he carried out the murders of six people – including three children – in a host of locations in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) before being fatally wounded during a dramatic shootout with police officers.
The killer – a security guard who worked at New Formosa in Estcourt – began his murderous endeavour by shooting his colleague before proceeding to the homes of his ex-girlfriend and her relatives, with police ultimately shooting and killing him in Kraansdorp.
KZN murder spree – how it unfolded
South African Police service (SAPS) spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naiker said in a statement that the first murder of the man’s colleague took place at around 11:00 on Saturday, with the 40-year-old’s body dumped in nearby veld.
“The victim sustained gunshot wounds to the head and his body was dumped in the veld where police later found it,” he said. Speaking to The South African, Naiker added that police only became aware of the initial killing after they were called to respond to the heinous acts that followed.
“Following the initial murder, he went to a farm in Mooi River when he killed another security guard,” said Naiker. “The suspect then proceeded to Bruntville in Mooi River where he shot and killed his ex-girlfriend’s sister (34) as well as 3 children who are aged between five and 13-years-old.”
Police fatally wound killer
Naiker said that after fleeing the scene, the man went to his ex-girlfriend’s place of employment in Alexandra Terrace where he “fired several shots at the woman and bolted”. The 25-year-old woman was rushed to hospital where she remains in a critical condition.
“The suspect fled the scene towards Kranskop where police officers intercepted him. He resisted arrest and opened fire at the police officers. The suspect was fatally wounded in the ensuing shootout. Police are investigating six counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and an inquest across three districts in KwaZulu-Natal,” said Naiker.
