RESIDENTS in KwaMashu B Section in the north of Durban were woken by gunshots in the early hours of Friday morning, 6 October.
And they said guns went off several times, making it impossible for anyone to sleep.
The gunshot were a result of a gun battle between cops and four suspects at a house in the kasi. It's alleged that cops stormed the house after they were alerted that the suspects linked to cash-in-transit robberies that have been happening in Durban since Tuesday, 3 October lived in that house.
A resident who lives close to the house said she was home when she heard the gunshots.
"I went outside to see what was happening. I then saw police cars parked right at the gate of the house. I saw about five cars. Shooting kept going on I decided to go back inside before I was hit by a stray bullet," said the resident.
She said the men who were shot rented a room in the house.
Another resident said she still can't believe what happened right close to her home.
"I'm just grateful that none of my family members was hit by a bullet during the shooting. I don't know anything about the men who were killed besides the fact that they've been seen with a lot of money," she said.
A relative said there were other relatives in the house during the shooting.
"I don't live there, but it's also my home. The men who were shot were renting, but I'm not sure for how long. My niece who was in the house when the police arrived is still shocked. This incident traumatised her. The relatives had to be taken to another relative's house because they too are traumatised," she said.
KZN police spokesman Brigadier Jay Naicker confirmed that four suspects who were believed to have been involved in a spate of cash-in-transit robberies in the eThekwini district were fatally wounded in a shoot-out with police on Friday.
"A team comprised of various units and the Hawks followed up information after the recent cash-in-transit heists and intelligence led the law enforcement officers to a house at the corner of Queen Nandi Drive and Sikhindi Road in KwaMashu, which was believed to be a safe haven for the suspects," he said.
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He said when police announced their presence, the suspects started firing, leaving cops with no other alternative but to return fire and a shoot-out ensued.
"Four suspects sustained fatal gunshot wounds during the shoot-out. The suspects, two of whom are from Limpopo, were found in possession four firearms, an AK47 assault rifle, an R5 rifle and two pistols as well as numerous rounds of ammunition," he said.
Naicker said a large quantity of explosives, several vehicle number plates, some of them Limpopo registration plates, as well as signal jammers were also found in the suspects' possession.
"A manhunt continues for more suspects. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has been summoned for further investigations," he said.
