Two suspected hitmen were shot and killed during a dramatic gunfight with police in Maphumulo, KwaZulu-Natal, early this morning.
According to authorities, the operation was part of an investigation into a planned assassination of a South African Police Service (SAPS) member. Intelligence led officers to a rural homestead believed to be used as a hideout by the suspects. When officers moved in, the suspects opened fire, forcing police to return fire in a fierce exchange.
Both suspects were fatally wounded at the scene. A firearm was recovered, and preliminary investigations revealed the men were also linked to a previous attempted murder case involving a police officer.
Remarkably, no police officers were injured in the exchange. The swift action by SAPS has been praised as a major breakthrough in a growing threat against law enforcement personnel in the province.
