A 35-year-old man was shot dead in Blackburn, north of Durban, after an alleged confrontation involving his former girlfriend’s current boyfriend, with police investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Image: RUSA/ Facebook
A man who allegedly left his pregnant partner at home to confront his former girlfriend was shot dead Saturday morning after an altercation with her current boyfriend in Blackburn, north of Durban.
According to Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), the shooting happened at about 5:35am in a rented one-room dwelling within an informal settlement. The 35-year-old man was declared dead at the scene.
Information gathered at the scene indicates that the man arrived at his ex-girlfriend’s residence and knocked aggressively on the door, sparking an argument with her current boyfriend. RUSA stated that the woman opened the door while her boyfriend remained inside.
The deceased reportedly told the boyfriend that he "was not there for him" before demanding items he claimed to have previously purchased for his ex-girlfriend. The woman denied that any of his belongings were still at the residence.
The current boyfriend told reaction officers that he was lying on the bed when the man produced an Okapi knife and attempted to stab him. The boyfriend claimed he acted in self-defence, retrieving a licensed firearm from beneath his pillow and firing a single shot.
The attacker collapsed outside the dwelling. RUSA confirmed that an Okapi knife and one spent cartridge casing were recovered from the scene. Further inquiries revealed that the deceased was well-known in the area and had left his pregnant partner at home before traveling to confront his ex.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Captain Ntathu Ndlovu confirmed that Verulam police are investigating a murder case following the shooting.
"Verulam Police are investigating a case of murder in the Blackburn area where a 35-year-old male was shot dead by a suspect known to him in the early hours of this morning, 11 July 2026," Ndlovu said.
Ndlovu added that reports indicate the victim and the suspect had an altercation prior to the gunfire. "One male suspect has been taken into custody and will be charged and processed accordingly whilst investigations continue," she said.
The matter has been handed over to the South African Police Service for further investigation.
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