The death toll from the KwaMakhutha mass shooting has risen to 12, police have confirmed, after one of three people injured in the attack died in hospital.
The shooting took place on Tuesday night in the Ziko area of KwaMakhutha, south of Durban, when unknown gunmen stormed a house where a group of people had gathered and opened fire indiscriminately. A vehicle belonging to one of the victims was set alight during the attack.
Police said the latest death brings the total number of fatalities to 12, including a pregnant woman. The two other injured victims remain in hospital receiving treatment.
KwaZulu-Natal police have launched a full-scale manhunt for the suspects and activated a 72-hour response plan involving Crime Intelligence, Tactical Response Teams and detectives.
“The investigation is ongoing and several leads are being pursued,” police said.
The motive for the massacre remains unknown.
Police have said preliminary information indicates some of the victims were known to Crime Intelligence in connection with alleged illegal activities, and investigators are probing whether the shooting was linked to a feud between rival gangs or groupings in the area.
But those claims have been fiercely rejected by some families.
Nomusa Zulu, who lost two sons in the shooting, said her children were not involved in crime.
“I did not know them to be involved in anything criminal,” Zulu said.
The brutal attack has reignited fears over illegal firearms and unchecked violence in KwaMakhutha. Ward councillor Thabisile Zungu said residents are demanding increased police visibility and sustained patrols, saying the community no longer feels safe.
Despite the activation of additional resources and the 72-hour plan, police have yet to announce any arrests.
Detectives say they are following several leads and are confident the perpetrators will be traced.
The KwaMakhutha massacre is one of the deadliest mass shootings to hit KwaZulu-Natal this year, and comes amid growing concern over the proliferation of illegal guns and revenge attacks in townships south of Durban.
