Durban - A suspect, wanted for a range of crimes including murder and kidnapping, was killed in a shooting with police at the intersection of M4 North Coast and M27 on Sunday afternoon.
The suspect, said police in a statement, was travelling in a taxi on its way to KwaDukuza when the incident took place.
The man was wanted for numerous crimes ranging from murder, armed robberies, hijackings, kidnapping to business robberies committed in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
According to a tip-off received, the suspect was on his way to commit a robbery at KwaDukuza.
Police spotted the taxi fitting the description given to them. When they approached the taxi, it is alleged that the suspect alighted from the taxi and started to shoot at the police. During the ensuing gunfire, the suspect was fatally wounded. Police found two unlicensed firearms, a 9mm Norinco pistol and a 9m Glock pistol, on the scene.
KwaZulu-Natal Acting Provincial Commissioner Major General Bheki Langa warned criminals to rather co-operate with police and not to shoot at police officers.
“Our police officers will defend themselves if their lives are in danger. We have lost a number of police officers at the hands of criminals and such flagrant disregard for law and order will not be tolerated."