11 killed as gunmen shoot partygoers inside a house, South Africa

At least 11 people were killed and three others injured in a late-night mass shooting in the Zico area of KwaMakhutha township, south of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, on Tuesday 22 September 2026. A pregnant woman is among the dead.

What happened

• The victims were gathered at a private home in the Zico area when unknown gunmen stormed in and opened fire shortly before 11 p.m. local time.
• Ten people died at the scene; one additional victim died while being transported to hospital.
• The attackers also set fire to a car belonging to one of the victims.
• Police from KwaMakhutha SAPS and the eThekwini District Tracing Team are processing the scene and investigating.

Motive and investigation

Authorities have not yet established a motive for the attack, and no arrests have been announced. Local residents described the incident as unprecedented for the area, with one telling eNCA: “I’ve been staying here all my life, and I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Context

The shooting comes amid heightened concern over gun violence in KwaZulu-Natal, where separate incidents on the same day included a school-related shooting in KwaMashu that left two pupils dead and three injured.