A total of five people were shot and killed in two separate drive-by shootings in Tongaat, KwaZulu Natal on Thursday afternoon. Two other people sustained serious injuries in the double shootings.

Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) spokesperson Pram Balram said that they received frantic calls at 13h16 about a shooting in progress in the Tongaat CBD.

“Reaction Officers were dispatched to the Golden Sun Supermarket on Gopalall Hurbans Road in the Tongaat,” he said.

“On arrival, Reaction Officers discovered a white VW Polo with multiple bullet holes stationary at the intersection.

“Two male occupants sustained multiple gunshot wounds and were declared deceased by Paramedics from a private ambulance service.

“A female passenger was treated for an injury to her head,” he added.

He said it was believed that the victims were caught up in the shooting as a matter of mistaken identity, however, this could not be immediately confirmed.

“A second team of RUSA Members were dispatched to the R614 and Gopalall Hurbans Road intersection in Fairbreeze – KZN approximately 4 kilometres away.

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“On arrival, the officers found a white Ford Ranger bakkie at the robots. The vehicle had been shot multiple times with high calibre weapons,” he added.

The three occupants were fatally injured.

They were in possession of high calibre weapons and it was confirmed that they were Security Officers.

While attending to the scene, a white Mercedes Benz arrived. The driver advised RUSA Members one of his passengers had been shot.

It was confirmed that a taxi boss and was the target of the assassins. His passenger was a Security Officer tasked with his protection.

They were travelling in a white Toyota Corolla when gunmen opened fire on his vehicle and his Security escort.

The taxi boss abandoned his vehicle on the R614. The injured male was treated for a gun shot injury to his hand.

RUSA dispatched its Helicopter to search for the suspects.

Police have not yet commented on the matter.