Gauteng’s ‘most wanted’ criminal killed in KZN shoot-out with police

A Gauteng man allegedly linked to eight crimes, including the murder of a police officer in October 2021, was killed in a shoot-out with police in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday morning. 

Mbuso Ndabazovela Biyela was tracked down during a multidisciplinary joint operation and traced to a village in Sahlumbe (Ematsheleni), Weenen. 

According to the police, provincial members from the serious and violent crimes (murder and robbery) unit, tracking team, Soweto district crime intelligence, and Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal tactical response teams swooped on a home where Biyela was alleged to have been hiding out. 

“At about 3am the team tactically approached the house where Biyela was hiding. When he spotted police, he started firing shots towards the members, who were forced to retaliate. Biyela was fatally wounded. None of the members sustained injuries. The team recovered an unlicensed firearm and ammunition when entering the house.”

Biyela was previously arrested in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng for murder in August 2020 and October 2021 but managed to escape from custody.

“He was positively linked to five Jabulani cases of murder committed between October 2021 and March 2022. He was further linked to a Lenasia December 2017 case of hijacking, a Lenasia South December 2017 case for possession of unlicensed firearm and a KwaZulu-Natal August 2020 case of murder,” police said.

On May 2, Gauteng police issued a reward of up to R100,000 to anyone who came forward with information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of Biyela.

Gauteng provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela suggested information from the community helped police to hunt Biyela. 

“We made a call to anyone with information on the whereabouts of one of our most wanted suspects, and the calls we received assisted us a lot. Thank you to the public as together we have ensured the end of Biyela’s reign of terror,” he said.