ZiMoja updates on the latest crime news in parts of the country.

GAUTENG: Nine suspects were arrested and one shot dead when police foiled a kidnapping attempt in Ivory Park outside Midrand in Gauteng yesterday. Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk said the police received information about an attempted kidnapping of a businessman in Benoni. According to Van Wyk, the syndicate was successfully intercepted when one suspect. who was recently released from jail, attempted to evade arrest by firing gunshots at the police, who retaliated and fatally wounded him. "Nine more suspects were ultimately apprehended. Three firearms were seized. Further investigation revealed that the seized firearms and the suspects's vehicle are positively linked to other criminal cases.

KWAZULU NATAL: Four people, including three undocumented foreigners, will appear in the Pinetown Magistrate's Court today following their arrest at a house in Somerset Place in Farningham Ridge, where they were found manufacturing fake hair products. Police were following up on information about a flow bin that was reported stolen in Westmead on Sunday, and intelligence-led them to the house where it was recovered. Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said during the search, the police found that the house was being used to manufacture various hair products and an initial investigation revealed that the barcodes on the products were of a different product from a North American country. Netshiunda said illegal foreign nationals were found hiding in the ceiling and were arrested. Two women, one of them a foreign national, were also arrested. The police added that the house is owned by a known pastor who is also a foreign national. "Police also found invoices indicating that the hair products have been sold to renowned wholesalers, retail stores, and hair salons, mostly in KZN and the Eastern Cape." The police are still searching for the owner of the house.

FREE STATE: A 56-year-old male has been taken into custody and will appear in court soon facing possible charges including possession of unlicensed ammunition, possession of suspected stolen ammunition and possession of explosives. This comes after the police discovered suspected unlicensed ammunition and explosives at a house in Ficksburg. Yesterday, members of crime intelligence, the Ladybrand K-9 unit, and Bloemfontein TRT conducted a search and seizure operation at the man's house, where a large quantity of ammunition, explosives and other military-grade equipment suspected to belong to the SAPS and SANDF were found. Free State Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane, said as the SAPS, they take the unauthorised possession and use of military equipment and ammunition very seriously. She said an investigation into the matter will continue to dig deeper into how such a large amount of ammunition and explosives ended up in the hands of an individual who is not authorised to possess them.