AMAOTI – Two women, a mother and daughter, were shot dead in their Amaoti home north of Durban on Wednesday, 17 June, in what authorities describe as an ambush by unidentified gunmen.
The killings of Silindile Shange and her mother, Dudu Shange, have left the local community in shock, particularly as evidence suggests the attack was targeted and not a robbery.
The victims were reportedly watching television and chatting in the evening when two suspects, dressed in black, stormed the residence.
Timeline and Sequence of the Attack
According to reports, the suspects entered the home through the kitchen before moving into the dining room, where they opened fire on the two women at close range.
A relative, speaking on condition of anonymity for safety reasons, stated that the victims’ father was present in the house during the intrusion.
“He checked the kitchen and indeed saw the two men who were dressed in black. He told the family that after seeing the men, he ran and shouted at Slindile and her mother to also hide. He ran into the bedroom and hid there. Then the suspects opened fire at Slindile and her mother before escaping.”
The family member said the attack unfolded within minutes, leaving neighbours scrambling to call police and emergency services.
Key details of the incident include:
- Date: Wednesday, 17 June
- Approximate time: Evening, while the family was at home
- Location: Amaoti, north of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
- Victims: Silindile Shange and Dudu Shange
- Other occupants: The victims’ father, who was in the house but was not injured
- Suspects: Two unidentified males dressed in black
- Entry point: The kitchen
- Suspected motive: Not immediately clear; no property reported stolen
Police Investigation and Motive
KZN police spokesman Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that Inanda police have opened murder cases following the double homicide under South Africa’s Criminal Law provisions governing violent and firearms-related offences.
“It’s reported that two unknown men ambushed the victims at their place of residence and opened fire, fatally wounding them. The motive is unknown,” said Colonel Netshiunda.
Police said crime-scene experts had collected ballistic evidence and were canvassing the area for witnesses and surveillance footage that could help identify the gunmen. The case will form part of broader monitoring of violent crime in the Inanda policing precinct, which has repeatedly featured among the country’s most affected areas in quarterly crime statistics.
The family has expressed confusion regarding the motive, noting that the suspects fled the scene without stealing any belongings from the home.
“So, we don’t know what their intention was really, and we don’t think that Slindile and her mother had people who wanted them dead. They didn’t tell us about such a thing, because otherwise we would have known,” the relative said.
Community members said they were fearful that the killings could signal an escalation of targeted attacks in the area, and called for increased visible policing and quicker response times from authorities. Local leaders have urged residents with information to come forward rather than confront suspects themselves, emphasising the role of formal justice structures over vigilante action.
Inanda police are currently processing the scene and seeking leads to identify the two suspects, and have appealed to anyone with information to contact the station or use the national SAPS crime stop line, which allows for anonymous tip-offs intended to support official investigations.
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