Topline: Three gunmen attacked a house party near Durban, killing at least 11 people and prompting a special 72-hour police operation to find them.
Published: September 25, 2026 11:34 am ET
Shawn Fletcher
Committed to the craft of journalism and am driven by my desire to inform and inspire.
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KWAMAKHUTHA, SOUTH AFRICA — At least 11 people, including a pregnant woman, were killed when three gunmen attacked a house party late Tuesday, September 22, in a township south of Durban. Three other people were wounded.
Police were searching for three men, with no arrests reported as of Wednesday, according to Associated Press reporting published by News4JAX. The acting national police commissioner directed local officers to undertake a special 72-hour operation to find the attackers.
Ten victims died at the house, including the pregnant woman. Another person was pronounced dead at a hospital. Authorities had not immediately disclosed the conditions of the three wounded people.
A Knock Before the Shooting
Nomusa Zulu said two of the men killed were her sons. Relaying what witnesses had told her, she said the group initially gathered outside in the yard before moving indoors as darkness fell and the temperature dropped.
Someone knocked, she said. When the door opened, the shooting began.
The attack happened in KwaMakhutha, about 19 miles south of Durban on South Africa’s east coast. AP described an impoverished neighborhood where some homes stand only a few meters apart, without walls or fences separating them.
Motive and Possible Car Connection Under Investigation
The South African Police Service said investigators had not established a motive, although they were considering whether a conflict between rival groups played a role. Police said some victims were already known to authorities through criminal investigations, but declined to provide details, citing the risk of compromising those inquiries. They did not establish that those investigations explained the attack.
Investigators were also examining whether a car burned near the house was connected to the killings.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli visited the scene and urged residents to share information that could help police locate the gunmen. He identified drug dealing and illegal firearms as existing problems in the community and separately confirmed that one of the women killed was pregnant.
Officers restricted access to the neighborhood while forensic personnel examined the scene. Some victims’ bodies were placed outside beneath white sheets before being taken by stretcher to pathology vehicles.
Another Mass Shooting Amid Widespread Gun Violence
The attack followed other multiple-victim shootings in South Africa. AP reported that gunmen killed 12 people in a poor Johannesburg neighborhood in June in an attack police connected to criminal gangs. Two shootings roughly two weeks apart the previous December killed a combined 21 people; both involved multiple attackers.
Police figures cited by AP recorded 5,427 homicides between April and June, nearly 60 a day. Shootings account for the largest share of homicides, and police and crime specialists have repeatedly identified the circulation of illegal firearms as a major problem.
President Cyril Ramaphosa authorized soldiers to support efforts against violent crime earlier this year. Critics described the deployment as evidence that police were not coping. The continuing military operation covered areas around Johannesburg and Cape Town, along with Eastern Cape province, but did not include KwaZulu-Natal, where the party shooting occurred.
As of the September 23 report, investigators had not confirmed why the party was targeted or whether the burned vehicle was connected, and the three gunmen remained at large.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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11 Killed at South African House Party, Including Pregnant Woman
Three gunmen attacked a house party near Durban, killing at least 11 people and prompting a special 72-hour police operation to find them.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: September 25, 2026 11:34 am ET
KWAMAKHUTHA, SOUTH AFRICA — At least 11 people, including a pregnant woman, were killed when three gunmen attacked a house party late Tuesday, September 22, in a township south of Durban. Three other people were wounded.
Police were searching for three men, with no arrests reported as of Wednesday, according to Associated Press reporting published by News4JAX. The acting national police commissioner directed local officers to undertake a special 72-hour operation to find the attackers.
Ten victims died at the house, including the pregnant woman. Another person was pronounced dead at a hospital. Authorities had not immediately disclosed the conditions of the three wounded people.
A Knock Before the Shooting
Nomusa Zulu said two of the men killed were her sons. Relaying what witnesses had told her, she said the group initially gathered outside in the yard before moving indoors as darkness fell and the temperature dropped.
Someone knocked, she said. When the door opened, the shooting began.
The attack happened in KwaMakhutha, about 19 miles south of Durban on South Africa’s east coast. AP described an impoverished neighborhood where some homes stand only a few meters apart, without walls or fences separating them.
Motive and Possible Car Connection Under Investigation
The South African Police Service said investigators had not established a motive, although they were considering whether a conflict between rival groups played a role. Police said some victims were already known to authorities through criminal investigations, but declined to provide details, citing the risk of compromising those inquiries. They did not establish that those investigations explained the attack.
Investigators were also examining whether a car burned near the house was connected to the killings.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli visited the scene and urged residents to share information that could help police locate the gunmen. He identified drug dealing and illegal firearms as existing problems in the community and separately confirmed that one of the women killed was pregnant.
Officers restricted access to the neighborhood while forensic personnel examined the scene. Some victims’ bodies were placed outside beneath white sheets before being taken by stretcher to pathology vehicles.
Another Mass Shooting Amid Widespread Gun Violence
The attack followed other multiple-victim shootings in South Africa. AP reported that gunmen killed 12 people in a poor Johannesburg neighborhood in June in an attack police connected to criminal gangs. Two shootings roughly two weeks apart the previous December killed a combined 21 people; both involved multiple attackers.
Police figures cited by AP recorded 5,427 homicides between April and June, nearly 60 a day. Shootings account for the largest share of homicides, and police and crime specialists have repeatedly identified the circulation of illegal firearms as a major problem.
President Cyril Ramaphosa authorized soldiers to support efforts against violent crime earlier this year. Critics described the deployment as evidence that police were not coping. The continuing military operation covered areas around Johannesburg and Cape Town, along with Eastern Cape province, but did not include KwaZulu-Natal, where the party shooting occurred.
As of the September 23 report, investigators had not confirmed why the party was targeted or whether the burned vehicle was connected, and the three gunmen remained at large.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
11 Killed at South African House Party, Including Pregnant Woman
Three gunmen attacked a house party near Durban, killing at least 11 people and prompting a special 72-hour police operation to find them.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: September 25, 2026 11:34 am ET
KWAMAKHUTHA, SOUTH AFRICA — At least 11 people, including a pregnant woman, were killed when three gunmen attacked a house party late Tuesday, September 22, in a township south of Durban. Three other people were wounded.
Police were searching for three men, with no arrests reported as of Wednesday, according to Associated Press reporting published by News4JAX. The acting national police commissioner directed local officers to undertake a special 72-hour operation to find the attackers.
Ten victims died at the house, including the pregnant woman. Another person was pronounced dead at a hospital. Authorities had not immediately disclosed the conditions of the three wounded people.
A Knock Before the Shooting
Nomusa Zulu said two of the men killed were her sons. Relaying what witnesses had told her, she said the group initially gathered outside in the yard before moving indoors as darkness fell and the temperature dropped.
Someone knocked, she said. When the door opened, the shooting began.
The attack happened in KwaMakhutha, about 19 miles south of Durban on South Africa’s east coast. AP described an impoverished neighborhood where some homes stand only a few meters apart, without walls or fences separating them.
Motive and Possible Car Connection Under Investigation
The South African Police Service said investigators had not established a motive, although they were considering whether a conflict between rival groups played a role. Police said some victims were already known to authorities through criminal investigations, but declined to provide details, citing the risk of compromising those inquiries. They did not establish that those investigations explained the attack.
Investigators were also examining whether a car burned near the house was connected to the killings.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli visited the scene and urged residents to share information that could help police locate the gunmen. He identified drug dealing and illegal firearms as existing problems in the community and separately confirmed that one of the women killed was pregnant.
Officers restricted access to the neighborhood while forensic personnel examined the scene. Some victims’ bodies were placed outside beneath white sheets before being taken by stretcher to pathology vehicles.
Another Mass Shooting Amid Widespread Gun Violence
The attack followed other multiple-victim shootings in South Africa. AP reported that gunmen killed 12 people in a poor Johannesburg neighborhood in June in an attack police connected to criminal gangs. Two shootings roughly two weeks apart the previous December killed a combined 21 people; both involved multiple attackers.
Police figures cited by AP recorded 5,427 homicides between April and June, nearly 60 a day. Shootings account for the largest share of homicides, and police and crime specialists have repeatedly identified the circulation of illegal firearms as a major problem.
President Cyril Ramaphosa authorized soldiers to support efforts against violent crime earlier this year. Critics described the deployment as evidence that police were not coping. The continuing military operation covered areas around Johannesburg and Cape Town, along with Eastern Cape province, but did not include KwaZulu-Natal, where the party shooting occurred.
As of the September 23 report, investigators had not confirmed why the party was targeted or whether the burned vehicle was connected, and the three gunmen remained at large.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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