Nine men who were suspected of being criminals were shot and killed in two separate incidents in Durban, KwaZulu Natal. The men, including a feared criminal called Poison, were killed on Tuesday and the others were killed this morning. Poison, whose real name is yet to be released is suspected to have been a suspect in the murder of National Intervention Unit (NIU) member Warrant Officer Sithembiso Mazibuko, who was killed over a week ago

Mazibuko was shot during an exchange of fire between the police and criminals. He and his team acted on a tip-off about the whereabouts of the suspects linked to the murder of 12 policing forum members in Ntuzuma. Poison was shot and killed in Inanda in the north of Durban on Tuesday. KZN SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker confirmed the incident, saying, "On Monday police at KwaMashu received information that seven men were attacked and shot underneath a railway bridge at the corner of Malandela Roa,d near the KwaMashu Men's Hostel and the M25 off-ramp. All seven deceased who are in their 30s were found lying next to a pillar of the railway bridge and in a straight line with gunshot wounds to the head and body," he said. Naicker said that police found 18 x 9mm spent cartridges on the crime scene. "Information received from the crime scene is that the deceased lived under the railway bridge and was involved in criminality in the area. At this stage, the motive is suspected to be vigilantism. The case docket has been allocated to detectives from the Provincial Organised Crime Unit and we are confident that they will be able to make a breakthrough in this matter," he said.

In another separate matter, Naicker further confirmed the shooting and killing of two suspects in Tshelimnyama in Marianhil in Durban on Wednesday morning. Police at Marianhill received information from the community that a group who were involved in criminality in the area, were living in a house in Luganda. The information also revealed that the men were in possession of firearms. "At 03:00 this morning, police officers from Marianhill approached the house and requested entry from the suspects. The occupants of the home opened fire at the police officers through the windows and there was an exchange of gunfire. Both suspects who are in their 20s that were in the house were fatally wounded in the shootout. Two 9mm pistols were found in the suspect's possession.Police at Marianhill are investigating charges of attempted murder, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition as well as an inquest," he said.