South African Police have shot dead nine members of a brutal gang suspected of raping a young girl in front of her screaming mother.
The country’s police tactical firearms team were ordered by top brass to find the eleven men who had sexually tortured the girl who was repeatedly raped during a house robbery.
Officers from the crack KZN Provincial Stabilisation Team were mobilised when a tip-off came through that the feared gang was planning a hit on a rival boss.
The unit was reportedly dropped off close to a house identified as the gang HQ in Desai, Mariannhill.
On their arrival, someone alerted the gang members inside who opened fire on the police unit, but the officers quickly regrouped and started firing back.
Within minutes nine gang members were all killed.
Police are hunting the two known remaining members who either escaped or who were not present, relaying the news to the rape victim and her mother.
KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said: ‘The Provincial Stabilisation Team pounced on the gang in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
‘The suspects had been on our radar for serious and violent crimes but then allegedly raped a young girl and made her mother watch during a house robbery.
‘The shoot-out happened when we received intelligence that the gang were plotting to execute a hit on a rival so an action plan was quickly put into place.
‘Nine gang members were shot dead and three firearms have so far been found in their possession and a manhunt for two suspects is underway’ he said.
A South African Police detective based in Durban said: ‘This group had been pushing and pushing for a while and this horrific gang rape was just the final straw.
‘It happened just before info came in to where the gang could be found so the green light was given to arrest them but they made a mistake in opening fire first.
‘The response was instant and when the shooting stopped 9 of those inside were dead’ he said.
