Durban - Two alleged car hijackers were wounded and a third was also arrested in a shoot-out with police in Umlazi in Durban this week, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Saturday.
One of them, a 20-year-old man, had already appeared in the Umlazi Magistrates' Court on Friday and remained in custody, Colonel Thembeka Mbele said.
"He was arrested for possession of suspected stolen property after he was found driving a vehicle that was hijacked at Merebank in the Wentworth policing precinct in June this year."
On Thursday, police officers from the South African Police Service (SAPS) provincial task team were conducting an operation in P section in Umlazi when they spotted a hijacked vehicle with three occupants on Siqunga Road.
"They instructed them to stop, but the occupants stopped the vehicle and fled on foot. The driver, 20, was found inside the vehicle and was immediately arrested."
Police chased the fleeing suspects who opened fire on them and a shoot-out ensued on Msingane Road. Both suspects, aged 29 and 30, sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to hospital for medical attention under police guard. Police recovered a revolver with three rounds of ammunition from the suspects. They would be charged with attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. They would appear in the Umlazi Magistrates' Court soon.
The 20-year-old suspect was detained at the Umlazi Police Station and faced charges of possession of suspected stolen property. All three suspects would also be linked to a carjacking case that was opened at Wentworth Police Station, Mbele said.