Six armed suspects were fatally wounded in a shootout with police on the R61 between Mthatha and Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape, the South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed.
At around 5:30pm on Monday afternoon, police stopped a vehicle as part of an intelligence-driven operation targeting extortion syndicates within the area.
The suspects stopped, but opened fire on the police officers after stepping out of the vehicle.
The police members returned fire in self-defence, killing all six suspects.
The identities of the deceased suspects remain unknown, the SAPS said, but forensic processes are currently underway to identify them.
Police members remained on scene on Monday evening, conducting forensic investigations and processing evidence. Firearms have been recovered from the suspects, and will undergo ballistic analysis.
The SAPS further stated that, in accordance with the law, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), will assume full responsibility for investigating this incident.
Mthatha has been rocked by incidents of extortion in recent years, with residents protesting against this and other serious crimes in September 2024.
The large-scale protest saw community members demanding urgent action to address the growing crime wave in the city, including extortion, femicide and stock theft.
