Durban - A 23-year-old man was shot dead after his car broke down in the Missionlands area in Verulam on Saturday.
According to Prem Balram, director of Reaction Unit SA, the victim's pregnant girlfriend had also been assaulted.
Balram said reaction officers had stumbled upon the incident at around 7pm while searching for robbery suspects pertaining to another incident.
"During the patrol a Reaction Officer noticed a blue VW Golf parked contra-flow to traffic. The officer turned his vehicle around to make inquiries and noticed two males fleeing into the dense bush.
"The hysterical female informed Reaction Officers that her boyfriend had been shot multiple times in the chest after his vehicle stalled due to a mechanical fault.
She said two males approached the vehicle and shot the driver.
"They then entered the vehicle and demanded mobile phones and cash. The pregnant woman was being assaulted when the suspect noticed the response vehicle and fled."
Balram said the couple had left her Missionlands home and was on route to Palmview at the time of the incident.
He said Reaction Officers were dispatched to the Missionlands area near the steel bridge to search for two suspects who had just robbed two pedestrians at gunpoint.
"Both victims arrived at the RUSA Headquarters minutes earlier and reported that they were robbed of their mobile phones and other valuables. After interviewing both complainants Reaction Officers decided to patrol the area and search for the suspects who had fled on foot."
Balram said the incident had been reported to SAPS.