A female motorist was shot and killed in a road rage incident near Etete, on the R102 highway in KwaZulu-Natal, when an altercation with another driver turned deadly.
Story Summary:
- A woman was fatally shot in a road rage incident on the R102 near Etete.
- Police investigations are underway as the shooter fled the scene.
- Public spaces, especially roadsides, are frequent settings for violent crimes in South Africa.
Etete road rage shooting ends in horror for female motorist
Emergency responders from IPSS Medical Rescue and IPSS S&R arrived on the scene to find that the woman had been fatally wounded.
According to initial reports, the assailant crashed into another vehicle, and then returned to shoot the woman before fleeing the scene on foot.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) is investigating the exact motive behind the shooting, while the road remains partially closed as crime scene analysts gather evidence.
This shooting adds to a worrying trend of public place violence in South Africa.
Crime statistics released by SAPS for the first quarter of 2024 show that KwaZulu-Natal remains the province with the highest murder count, recording 1,455 murders from April to June.
Despite a slight decline in the national murder rate compared to the same period in 2023, public spaces like streets, highways, and open fields continue to be hotspots, accounting for 3,140 of these murders.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, KwaZulu-Natal police confirmed the arrests of all six suspects involved in the mass shooting that left four people dead and one injured in Estcourt on Sunday afternoon, 27 October 2024.
The incident took place at a homestead in the Nyezane area where a traditional celebration was underway.
According to police, six masked suspects, armed with rifles and handguns, entered the homestead during the ceremony and opened fire on attendees.
The brutal attack killed three people on the spot, with a fourth victim succumbing to injuries later at a medical facility.
Lieutenant Colonel Nqobile Gwala confirmed the arrests, stating that swift, intelligence-driven investigations led officers to a 28-year-old suspect, who was initially apprehended while receiving treatment for a gunshot wound and broken arm at a local hospital.
The arrest of the remaining five suspects followed shortly thereafter, concluding the immediate search for those responsible.