Two of KZN's most wanted criminals, who were killed during a shootout with the police in Inanda outside Durban over the weekend, had just killed a mother and daughter when they were intercepted by the cops. They were allegedly hired by a well-known KZN inyanga to kill the pair after he failed to double their money. The inyanga has since been arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder and double murder.

This is after he allegedly hired four hitmen to kill Patricia Jeza and her daughter Jezelihle Jeza, whom he owed over R200 000 he failed to double. It's alleged that woman, who was widowed last year, demanded her money back, the inyanga got the most wanted hitmen in KZN to kill them. A neighbour and close family friend, who wished not to be named, told ZiMoja that the two went missing on Thursday after they were contacted by inyanga to come and collect their money.

According to the family friend, Jeza received money from after her husband passed away last year. "That inyanga convinced her to invest the money with him and promised to double it with his powers. But weeks and months passed without Patricia hearing anything from the inyanga. That's when she started calling him demanding her money back," the friend said. Jeza was relieved thinking she was going to receive her money back when she was called by the inyanga, what she did not know was that she, together with her daughter, were walking into a trap.

Her family became worried when the pair could not be reached on the phone. Their mutilated bodies were later found dumped at Emachobeni in Inanda on Friday afternoon. "Lucky enough, her daughter had posted on her WhatsApp status that they were going to meet the inyanga. It is clear that the inyanga was never going to pay them. He just wanted to get rid of them," said the neighbour.

Jezelihle Jeza was murdered alongside her mother.

KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed the incident. "Police gathered intelligence about the suspects who were believed to be on their way to perform cleansing rituals at Mpophomeni after the murders. The suspects' vehicle was intercepted in the Eskebheni area in uMzinyathi and police signalled for the driver of the suspects' vehicle to stop. The occupants of the vehicle responded by firing shots at the police officers and the tactically ready police officers returned fire. After the shootout, all four occupants of the vehicle were fatally wounded. Three firearms were found in the possession of the suspects," he said. The inyanga was arrested and has appeared in the Durban Magistrates Court yesterday but his case was postponed to a later date. He was remanded in custody.