Concerns raised over high number of suspects killed by police in KwaZulu-Natal

The Executive Director of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), Jennifer Dikeledi Ntlatseng, has expressed concern over the rising number of suspects killed during confrontations with police in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

In an interview, she noted that it was “worrying” that some officers might be bypassing the criminal justice system, potentially to eliminate evidence or suspects involved in criminal activities.

IPID’s 2023/2024 annual report revealed that KZN recorded 166 deaths resulting from police actions, accounting for 25% of such incidents nationwide.

In response to these incidents, IPID has initiated investigations into multiple cases where suspects were fatally wounded during alleged shootouts with police.