Five of Durban’s most wanted criminals were gunned down by the police in Mariannhill yesterday.

According to the police, the men were wanted for murder. One of them can be linked to the Mariannhill mass shooting where five died in February.

KZN police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda said that man was also wanted for other murders he committed last week.

He said the police had pursued the men and when they noticed that they were being followed, they opened fire at the police.

“No police were injured during the shootout.”

Intelligence Bureau SA reports the shootout occurred on the Abbot Francis Road.

“SAPS had operationalised intelligence on the whereabouts of the wanted suspects and when the police signalled for the suspects to pull over, the suspects fired shots at the police and a shootout ensued. After the shootout, five suspects were found to have suffered fatal gunshot wounds,” their post on Facebook reads.

Netshiunda spoke to eNCA and told them that the group who were killed ‘used to terrorise Mariannhill’.