CHATSWORTH, DURBAN – A brazen midday ambush on the M1 Higginson Highway has left two men dead and sparked a massive manhunt across the Chatsworth region. The incident, which occurred near the busy RK Khan off-ramp on Sunday morning, April 19, 2026, has brought traffic to a standstill as forensic teams and specialized units work to unravel the motive behind the targeted attack.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has cordoned off a significant stretch of the highway, marking one of the most violent incidents in the area this year.

According to eyewitness reports and preliminary police findings, a silver sedan was traveling along the Higginson Highway when it was intercepted by another vehicle.

In a brazen display of high-volume gunfire, gunmen used high-caliber weapons to riddle a target vehicle with bullets, causing the driver to lose control and come to a stop near the center island. The two male occupants both believed to be in their late 30s, sustained fatal gunshot wounds to the head and upper body and were declared deceased at the scene by ALS Paramedics.

Investigators noted the precision of the attack, suggesting a highly professional "hit" that resulted in remarkably little collateral damage despite the heavy Sunday morning traffic.

A multi-agency response team, including the SAPS K9 Unit and Metro Police, secured the site within minutes of the shooting to begin an intensive investigation. Specialized forensic experts spent hours processing the scene, recovering spent cartridges and analyzing bullet trajectories to piece together the mechanics of the ambush.

As a police helicopter circled Chatsworth and Woodhurst in search of the getaway vehicle, investigators turned their focus toward a motive; while not officially confirmed, local security sources suggest the attack may be a targeted hit linked to ongoing gang rivalries or taxi-related disputes in the Durban South region.

The shooting has sent shockwaves through the Chatsworth community, with residents particularly unsettled by the brazen violence occurring so close to RK Khan Hospital. The incident caused significant traffic disruptions as the M1 Higginson Highway remained closed for several hours, forcing motorists traveling between Chatsworth and Mobeni to divert to the N2 and Main Road.

In the wake of the attack, local community leaders have expressed outrage, condemning the daylight ambush and demanding intelligence-led arrests and a heightened police presence to restore safety to the district's critical transit routes.

Police are urging anyone who may have captured the incident on dash cam footage or who witnessed the getaway vehicle to come forward. All information will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.