He made advances to a young woman and also complemented her beauty but the woman would have none of it. She did not respond to the cop's advances and he became agitated and started swearing at her. The young woman allegedly swore back at the off-duty cop and went to report him to her family, who own taxis. Like a scene from a horror movie, in a few minutes, three bodies were lying on the streets of Enseleni township outside Richards bay in KwaZulu Natal.

It is alleged that Constable Mthobisi Msane (30) was driving in the township when he met a young woman and started making advances. According to an eyewitness, the young woman refused to talk to Msane, who was off duty and he allegedly started swearing at her. The woman reportedly swore back at him and he slapped her. "That woman got angry and ran home which is not far from where the incident happened to tell her family about the incident. Her brother who is a known skhothane in the area came out with a knife threatening to stab the officer," the eyewitness said. He added that the cop started shooting warning shots but the woman's brother kept running towards him and he shot him dead. When the woman's mother who is a taxi boss heard the gunshots, she came out armed and shot the cop who returned fire. By the end of the drama, which the witness says took less than 10 minutes, three people lay on the street bleeding from gunshot wounds.

KwaZulu Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the police in Empangeni are investigating three counts of murder following a shooting incident on Tuesday. "Information at police's disposal at this stage suggests that a 30-year-old off-duty police constable stationed at Esikhaleni Police Station had an argument with a female companion and he reportedly slapped her with an open hand," he said. "Reports further indicate that almost immediately, a 55-year-old woman, believed to be the mother to the woman who was assaulted, arrived at the scene, armed with a firearm and opened fire on the 27-year-old suspect.The suspect returned fire and both the grandmother and the off-duty officer were rushed to the local clinic where they were certified dead on arrival. The cause of the initial argument that eventually led to the shooting is yet to be determined, although domestic related issues cannot be ruled out," he said.