A 45-year-old murder suspect was killed in a shootout with the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpindweni Location, outside Libode, on Tuesday. The operation was intelligence-led and connected to last week's ambush of two police officers in the area. Police had obtained crucial investigative leads and executed a search warrant at the suspect's residence.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa, officers were searching the premises when the suspect excused himself and then burst through the door, opening fire. Officers returned fire, fatally wounding the suspect, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The police seized the firearm used against the officers, as well as other firearms and ammunition found inside the house.
The shootout is linked to the ambush killing of two SAPS members, aged 51 and 30, who were responding to a distress call regarding an attack on a local spaza shop in Ziphunzana Location, Libode, near Mthatha, on September 18, 2026. The police investigation is ongoing as authorities continue to crack down on those involved in the killing of the two officers.
In the 72 hours following the murder, police arrested two suspects and fatally shot three others during an intelligence-driven operation. A 29-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were arrested in Ngolo Location, with an AK47 rifle and ammunition recovered. The National Intervention Unit fatally wounded a 35-year-old male suspect along the N2 at Sibangweni after he opened fire on officers.
Subsequent operations in Ngolo village led to two more male suspects being killed in separate shootouts with police. Police recovered three handguns alongside the AK47 rifle. The suspects faced charges including attack on police, attempted murder, and illegal firearm possession.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is investigating the fatal shootings of the suspects. Provincial Commissioner Lt-Gen Vuyisile Ncata praised the teams involved in the operations and vowed to hold all remaining accomplices accountable for their roles in the killing of the police officers.
The SAPS continues to intensify its efforts to combat violent crime and bring perpetrators to justice. The police investigation into the ambush killing of the two officers and the subsequent shootouts with suspects remains ongoing, with authorities working to ensure that all those involved are held accountable.
Key points
- A 45-year-old suspect linked to the ambush killing of two police officers in Libode was shot dead in a shootout with SAPS.
- The shootout occurred during an intelligence-led operation to execute a search warrant at the suspect's residence.
- The police investigation into the ambush killing and subsequent shootouts remains ongoing, with IPID investigating the fatal shootings of suspects.
