A continued crackdown on criminals ended in the deaths of two suspected hitmen in a shoot-out with police on Wednesday in Mahlabathini in the Zululand district.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Col Robert Netshiunda said police acted on information about two suspects travelling in a red VW Polo who were allegedly on their way to assassinate a taxi owner in the northern KwaZulu-Natal town. 

He said the suspects’ vehicle was spotted driving along the P700 road in Mahlabathini and police used blue lights and sirens to instruct the driver of the vehicle to pull over.

“The driver stopped in the middle of the road. However, in split seconds two occupants of the vehicle got out of the vehicle and opened fire in the direction of the police. Tactical, astute police officers returned fire and a shoot-out ensued.”

Two suspects were killed and police recovered three firearms and ammunition. Preliminary investigations indicate the firearms were reported stolen at Macekane Reserve in Mtunzini in January.

The firearms would be sent for ballistic testing to see if they were linked to any crimes in the province, Netshiunda added. By Timeslive