IN PICS | Emotional scenes as families identify bodies of 9 suspected criminals killed in Mariannhill shoot-out

There were emotional scenes as family members identified the bodies of nine suspects shot dead during a gun battle with police at Desai in Mariannhill, outside Durban, on Wednesday.

Police said the suspects have allegedly been terrorising the community for years and had taken over three houses in the area, forcing homeowners to move.

It is alleged the group have been involved in a number of criminal activities, including armed robberies, theft, rape and murders.

Police spokesperson Col Robert Netshiunda said the suspects allegedly gang-raped a girl and made her mother watch during a house robbery.

He said they were also on the police radar for other serious and violent crimes in the area.

A manhunt for two suspects is under way, he added.

Police said the youngest suspect was 18 and the oldest 22.

The community crowded the scene with many climbing onto rooftops to gain a better vantage point. Some residents celebrated the deaths, saying the gang had caused a wave of terror. 

“At least now we will sleep in peace. These young boys have been making our lives hell. They had big guns and they would carry them on the streets. We were even afraid to walk on the road at night. We hope the other two will be arrested so our lives can go back to normal,” said a community member who asked not to be named.

Community members said the gang started as a small group of boys but grew and became more notorious.

The families of the suspects refused to speak to media at the scene. 

TimesLIVE