Three gunmen storm house party in South Africa and kill 11 including a pregnant woman, with suspects still at large

From the Newshound archive · first published 23 September 2026 · last updated 24 September 2026.

Three armed men broke into a house party in KwaMakhutha, an impoverished township south of Durban, late Tuesday night, herding 14 guests into a room before opening fire. Ten died at the scene, including a pregnant woman, with a fourth person dying in hospital later. Acting police commissioner Puleng Dimpane announced a 72-hour manhunt, saying detectives were pursuing a 'promising lead'. Provincial premier Thami Ntuli called the killings 'really disturbing' and cited the widespread presence of narcotics trafficking and unlicensed weapons in the densely populated community.

Police say some victims were already on crime intelligence radar, and a 'feud between rival groupings cannot be ruled out.'

Before fleeing, the gunmen torched a car that belonged to one of the victims; no arrests have been made.

South Africa records more than 60 murders a day on average — one of the highest rates on earth.