WATCH | KZN SAPS visits scene where 4 suspected criminals were killed in shootout with cops

DURBAN - Four suspected criminals have been shot and killed during a shootout with police in KwaXimba near Durban.

It’s understood the police were closing in on the group in their hideout on Thursday morning.

The crime scene is still alive.

At this stage, Eyewitness News understands that this was a group linked to cash-in-transit robberies.

The group had been hiding in rented rooms here at eThekwini’s Ward 1 in the rural KwaXimba area.

Authorities said they took to the area to make arrests, but claim the criminals opened fire at them instead. 

Provincial Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi who made it to the scene with a South African Police Service cohort said they had been hunting down the group since last year.

He said they are part of a syndicate that had been allegedly committing crime in different cities and provinces. 

“I think it’s been couple of months since last year we’ve been looking for some this group, but we’ve intensified our search at the beginning this year. They have been moving between Mpangeni, Kokstad and part of the Eastern Cape.” 

Mkhwanazi said they were also looking for other members linked to this group. 

“It hasn’t been that long but at least we were able to get this four, we’re still tracing others.”

Police have recovered three firearms on the scene belonging to the group.

No police officer was injured during the gun fight. 

Last month, nine suspects were killed during a gun fire exchange with officers in Mariannhill, west of Durban.