Two men killed, two cops wounded on the R61 near Mthatha

Two men, one of them a taxi operator, were shot and killed along the R61 between Mthatha and Libode while two police officers who were part of a team that had rushed to the crime scene had to be rushed to hospital after sustaining stab wounds.

Eastern Cape police spokesman Captain Khaya Tonjeni, in a statement, said Libode police had responded to an alleged shooting where a taxi had been shot at while off-loading passengers at Vezamandla Stop near Gxulu.

The suspected vehicle believed to have been used by the shooters had reportedly fled towards Port St Johns afterwards.

"A 24-year-old male driver was fatally wounded and certified dead on the scene during this attack," said Tonjeni.

"Police responded by sending a tracking team in search of a grey Polo that was alleged to have been utilised during the attack but unfortunately the team were attacked by a group of men and community members accusing them of being responsible for the previous taxi attack when they stopped at the scene."

Two officers were reportedly injured and sustained stab wounds. However one of them managed to draw out his firearm and fatally wounded a 28-year-old man. A state firearm was reportedly stolen during the incident.

Tonjeni said police were investigating several cases including murder, attempted murder and robbery.