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Three out of the four suspects linked to an armed robbery and the murder of a policeman were fatally wounded in a shootout during an operation with members of the Hawks Serious Organised Crime Durban, Crime Intelligence, along with Pietermaritzburg K9 and Tactical Response Team.
On 24 May 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Ndawonde, the acting station commander of Ndwandwe SAPS, was off duty and en-route to his residence in a marked state vehicle. While in the vicinity of Bhamshela taxi rank, police spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale says that the Lieutenant Colonel was ambushed by unknown assailants and subsequently shot dead. “His vehicle crashed into a nearby fence along the R614 road. Lieutenant Colonel Ndawonde sustained multiple gunshot wounds and his 9mm service pistol and an R-5 automatic rifle were taken by the suspects. A case docket of murder and armed robbery was registered and allocated to Durban DPCI SOCI for investigation.”
Intelligence information was received on the suspects’ whereabouts, culminating in an operation executed on Monday, 14 June 2021. The suspects were observed while travelling in the identified maroon Jeep coming from Maqongqo towards Pietermaritzburg. Police officials stopped the vehicle, and the suspects opened fire resulting in a shootout.
Colonel Mogale elucidates, “Two suspects jumped out of the vehicle and disappeared in the nearby bushes. Whilst the other two tried to drive back to Maqongqo, unfortunately the vehicle went down a ditch. Closer inspection revealed that the suspect driver had been fatally wounded.”
One suspect proved to have been injured in the continuing shootout as he left a trail of blood, disappearing into the sugar cane fields.
Due to the complex terrain, the assistance of the Pietermaritzburg K9 unit was enlisted. A K9 member and his dog Shaka entered the sugar cane field following the trail freshly created by the two suspects. One suspect was located and was engaged by Shaka. The suspect fatally shot and killed the four-legged officer while also firing at the SAPS. However, the suspect was fatally shot when officers returned fire.
Another K9 member with a dog, Simba, joined the team in locating the third suspect. Simba engaged the suspect and fatally wounded him. But unfortunately, was also fatally injured.
With the assistance of the Airwing and another K9 member with his dog, Duke, the fourth suspect was tracked down. Before fleeing deeper into the dense bushes, the suspect shot Duke, who was later airlifted to hospital for urgent medical assistance and is thankfully recovering.
According to Colonel Mogale, the team also recovered four unlicensed firearms, including an R4 rifle, an R5 rifle, two 9mm pistols, live rounds, one dashboard blue light, and an ammunition box. Thirteen counts of attempted murder, possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition, malicious damage to property, and inquest dockets were opened for investigation.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the Provincial Head of DPCI, Major General Lesetja Senona, lauded the multi-disciplinary team for ensuring that justice has been brought to the Ndawonde family. He also sent his condolences to K9 Pietermaritzburg for the loss suffered from the demise of Shaka and Simba in the line of duty.
In the aftermath of the incident, it was discovered that two of the deceased suspects were on the run after absconding from the Durban High court holding cells on 26 March 2021, where they were found guilty of five murders and an attempted murder in Marianhill.
The two were allegedly involved in the massacre of six people, five of whom were certified dead on the scene, and the sixth was critically injured in October 2017.
The two were arrested by the Provincial Organised Crime, which successfully opposed their bail. When they were arrested, they were found in possession of three unlicensed firearms and ammunition. Their trial began on 22 February 2021 until 26 March 2021. During the recess after they were found guilty, the two escaped before they could be sentenced.
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Further investigation is continuing into locating the fourth suspect, who is still at large.
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