Earlier this month, police in KwaZulu-Natal had their hands full with multiple mass murder cases. And on Wednesday, they managed to arrest eight suspects possibly linked to two of the cases.
Police Minister Bheki Cele announced the new developments on the case during a press briefing in Durban.
All suspects were found with firearms and ammunition
Earlier in January, 14 people were killed in a matter of hours in Richmond, uMgungundlovu, Inanda and eThewkwini.
According to Cele, seven suspects were arrested after a multi-disciplinary operation was conducted in the Richmond area. All suspects were between the ages of 21 and 43.
All suspects were found in possession of “several high calibre firearms and ammunition” and drugs.
And in the Inanda shooting, one suspect was arrested after a firearm was found in his possession. Six people were killed during this shooting.
Drugs and revenge are the main reasons for these mass murders
According to Minister Cele, KZN is experiencing an issue of mass murders, with 229 incidents of multiple murders recorded between 1 April 2021 to 23 January 2022.
These shootings have thus far taken the lives of 531 people, with most taking place in the eThekwini and uMgungundlovu areas.
Cele further explained that “drug wars retaliation and revenge attacks” remained the leading causes of these shootings. The third and fourth main reasons for these violent and tragic incidents are robberies at a home or business and arguments.
“The top three areas of multiple murders are at the home of victims or perpetrator or the home of a family member, friend or a neighbour.
“Many of the victims were also gunned down on the streets, open fields or while inside a mode of transport such as a car, taxi or bus.”
Police are doing their best in removing the dangerous weapons from the streets and finding the killers as “hundreds of families looking for answers and searching for justice and closure”.
“We owe it to the victims of these multiple shootings and all victims of murders, to go over and above the normal call of duty and find these killers; come hell or high water.”
