KZN police concerned about illegal firearms being used in brutal killings

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Police in KwaZulu-Natal are concerned about the high number of illegal firearms in the hands of criminals, which they believe are being used in the spate of brutal killings reported in various parts of the province.

On Tuesday, two taxi owners from the Durban Long Distance Taxi Association were shot dead near the Berea Shopping centre in Durban.

In another incident, a man was killed in Springfield with his wife and nine-year-old daughter.

Over 10 people have been shot and killed in separate incidents in less than 72 hours in the province:

On Thursday this week, five people were shot and killed, while two sustained gunshot wounds during two separate drive-by shooting incidents in oThongathi north of Durban.

Police spokesperson, Robert Netshiunda, says they are conducting operations aimed at recovering illegal firearms.

“The serious challenge is that there are so many illegal firearms in our community, which are used to execute these killings. We are concerned about the firearms that are used. Hi-calibre firearms such as AK-47s, R5 rifles and shotguns are being used in taxi violence and drug-related violence. In some instances, gunmen will just find a group of people sitting around shoot them and disappear without a trace.”