Cops swoop before gunmen can ‘cleanse’ themselves for criminal actions

A gang of heavily armed men – who police say orchestrated a spate of crimes in KZN – were collared in a police swoop while undergoing a traditional cleansing ceremony.

While the men were said to be reconciling with their ancestors to rid themselves of guilt for their alleged criminal actions‚ at a homestead in KwaGqikazi near Ulundi‚ tactical police stormed in.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said that officers recovered nine assault rifles and three handguns‚ along with nearly 120 rounds of ammunition.

• ANC councillor shot dead in southern KZN a month after speaker's murderAn ANC ward councillor has been killed in Umzimkhulu in southern KwaZulu-Natal‚ just a month after the murder of the municipality’s speaker. 

“When members of the community reported suspicious activities police immediately set the wheels in motion‚” he said.

Six AK47 rifles‚ two Luger rifles‚ an R5 rifle were among the raft of weapons recovered.

“Initial investigations indicate that one of the pistols was taken during the robbery of a business in Vryheid earlier this month‚ while the vehicle they were in possession of was stolen from Diepkloof in February this year.

• Guns‚ fast cars and cash seized as police pounce on hijackersNine luxury vehicles‚ illegal guns‚ a police radio and a stack of cash. 

 “Indications are that they were in the area to undergo a ‘cleansing ceremony’ for crimes that they committed when police swooped on them.

Detectives are confident that they might be responsible for a number of high profile murders and robberies committed in the province recently‚” Naicker said. The 12 suspects are expected to appear in the Ulundi Magistrate’s Court.

TMG Digital/TimesLIVE