Three men involved in faction fighting in Melmoth, KwaZulu-Natal, have been shot dead in exchange of fire with the police.
Superintendent Vincent Mdunge said the men had been linked to the killing of a eye-witness in a faction fighting case and were chasing a second witness at the time of the shooting on Thursday afternoon.
He said residents saw them carrying home-made guns in the Veceni area and alerted the police.
Melmoth and Empangeni police rushed to the scene. The men ran into nearby bush.
"The officers surrounded the bush and called for the Empangeni police dog unit.
"When the dog unit arrived, the members started to penetrate the bush."
Mdunge said the gunmen fired at the police, who returned fire.
The three men Jola Majola, 34, Kabelo Mcineka, 21, and Ash Mkhize, 30, were shot dead. A fourth man, who was believed to be part of the group, was arrested.
"The suspects were wanted for the killing of an eye-witness in the same faction fighting case," he said.
At the crime scene, police found several weapons including an R1 assault rifle with 34 rounds of ammunition, an AK-47 assault rifle with nine rounds of ammunition, two 9mm pistols with 15 rounds each, a .38 revolver pistol with six rounds, and a shotgun with 11 rounds. - Sapa
That's a lot of weapons the cops found! Well done!
