A suspect wanted in connection with the murder of two SAPS Crime Intelligence officers who were ambushed and shot dead in Mount Edgecombe earlier this year was shot and killed during a police operation in Inanda, while five other suspects were arrested on Friday, 25 September 2026.
The major breakthrough came during an early-morning police operation linked to the murders of Captain Louis Nel and Sergeant Mandla Khuzwayo, who were gunned down in a brazen attack on Flanders Drive, Mount Edgecombe, on 30 April.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that a multidisciplinary team was investigating the case and that a member of the SAPS Special Task Force was injured during Friday morning’s operation.
Five suspects were arrested during operations in Inanda and other areas, while a sixth suspect was shot and killed after allegedly resisting arrest. According to information from police, the first five suspects surrendered to officers.
The sixth suspect was reportedly inside a house with his girlfriend and allegedly refused to come out when police arrived at approximately 3am. He allegedly attempted to shoot at police officers during the confrontation. At some stage during the standoff, he released his girlfriend from the house.
Members of the Special Task Force were subsequently brought in to assist. The suspect was eventually shot dead while allegedly resisting arrest.
Captain Nel and Sergeant Khuzwayo, both attached to SAPS Crime Intelligence, came under heavy gunfire while travelling in an unmarked state vehicle along Flanders Drive. CCTV footage captured the shooting, during which gunmen opened fire on the officers’ vehicle.
Nel died at the scene, while Khuzwayo was rushed to hospital but later succumbed to his injuries on 25 May.
KZN VIP spokesperson Gareth Naidoo said emergency personnel had responded to the scene alongside other security services following the shooting. They found a vehicle riddled with bullet holes and two injured officers.
The double murder sparked an extensive police investigation to track down those believed to have been involved in the attack. Acting SAPS National Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane previously condemned the continued killing of police officers, both on and off duty, describing the attacks as a direct assault on the authority of the state and the country’s crime-fighting capability.
Police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi vowed that the officers’ killers would be brought to justice, saying the suspects would be found ‘dead or alive’ at Nel’s funeral in May.
While the latest operation has resulted in five arrests and the death of another suspect, police have not yet publicly confirmed the motive behind the murders of Nel and Khuzwayo.
Police have, however, indicated that the investigation into the killings has examined both internal and external aspects as detectives work to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Investigations are ongoing.
