A Crime Intelligence officer has been killed and another injured after they were ambushed in Mount Edgecombe, north of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal police confirmed on Thursday.
In a brief statement, the South African Police Service in KwaZulu-Natal said the fatal shooting occurred near the Cornubia Mall area, with one officer dying at the scene and another sustaining injuries during the attack.
Acting Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection, Major General Anthony Gopaul, was reportedly en route to the scene as investigations got underway.
Private security company Reaction Unit South Africa said its officers responded after receiving multiple reports of gunfire in the area.
According to the organisation, reaction officers arrived to find that two occupants of a white Toyota Hilux bakkie had been attacked by suspects travelling in a white Toyota Quantum.
The vehicle was extensively damaged after being riddled with bullets. Paramedics from a private ambulance service treated the surviving occupant, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds, before transporting him to hospital for further treatment. The driver was declared dead at the scene.
A large number of spent cartridges were recovered, indicating the use of high-calibre firearms.
Police investigations into the circumstances surrounding the attack are continuing.