11 killed, including pregnant woman, in KwaMakhutha house shooting in South Africa

Eleven people, including a pregnant woman, were killed and three others injured when gunmen opened fire at a house in KwaMakhutha, south of Durban, in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, police said.

The shooting happened in the Ziko area of KwaMakhutha on Tuesday night, 22 September.

Police said 14 people — 13 men and one woman believed to be pregnant — were at the house when three men arrived and opened fire.

Ten victims died at the scene and four were taken to hospital. One of those taken to hospital later died from gunshot wounds, bringing the death toll to 11, according to the South African Police Service (SAPS).

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli visited the area on Wednesday and said the attack had left the community in shock and mourning.

The provincial government said it would work with SAPS and community representatives following the shooting.

Police launch 72-hour operation

Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane ordered a 72-hour operation to identify and arrest those responsible for the killings.

SAPS said investigators were working to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and determine the motive.

Police said some of the victims had previously been on the radar of Crime Intelligence in connection with alleged illegal activities. SAPS did not provide further details, saying the information could not be disclosed while the investigation was under way.

The police statement said a feud between rival groupings could not be ruled out as a possible explanation, but stressed that the motive had not been confirmed.

No arrests had been announced when the initial police statement was issued.

KwaZulu-Natal has recorded high levels of violent crime

The shooting occurred in a country where murder remains a major criminal justice concern.

SAPS recorded 25,573 murders nationally during the 2024/25 financial year, down 7.3 per cent from 27,590 in 2023/24. The police annual report said reported contact crime overall declined by 2.2 per cent during the period.

The most recent quarterly figures also showed a decline in recorded murders. Between October and December 2025, SAPS recorded 6,351 murders, compared with 6,953 during the same quarter a year earlier, a decrease of 8.7 per cent.

KwaZulu-Natal remains one of the provinces with a substantial number of reported murders. In the January-March 2025 quarter, SAPS recorded a murder rate of 10 per 100,000 people in the province, compared with a national rate of 9.1 per 100,000.

SAPS crime statistics also identify firearms as a continuing concern in violent crime investigations. Police have conducted repeated operations targeting illegal firearms, ammunition and organised criminal activity across the country.

Investigation continues

The KwaMakhutha attack is being investigated by KwaZulu-Natal police, with the 72-hour operation involving efforts to trace the three suspected gunmen.

Police have appealed for information that could assist the investigation. Officers are also working to establish the circumstances that brought the victims together at the house and whether the attack was connected to organised or rival criminal activity.

The provincial government said Premier Ntuli had met community members and families affected by the shooting during his visit to KwaMakhutha.

The investigation remained ongoing as of Wednesday, with the suspects still at large and the motive yet to be established.