MPUMALANGA'S most wanted criminal has been killed in a shoot-out with the police.

MPUMALANGA'S most wanted criminal has been killed in a shoot-out with the police.

John Mantu Khumalo, 28, was shot dead yesterday at his father's house in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, where he had been hiding for about a month.

He was wanted for hijacking a Renault Clio in Protea Glen, Soweto, on June 18.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Captain Leonard Hlathi said Khumalo drove the car to Volkrust on June 23 and a Tracker agent picked up the signal.

"The agent asked for back-up from the local police," Hlathi said.

"The police confronted Khumalo and ordered him to get out of the car but he fired shots at the police instead."

A police inspector was wounded and Khumalo took the inspector's service pistol and fled.

The Tracker agent called for back-up again after picking up a signal showing that the hijacked vehicle was on the way to Amersfoort.

Police followed and on the way received a call informing them about an accident on the road they were using. Two vehicles had been involved in an accident, one of which was the Clio Khumalo had hijacked.

The driver of the other vehicle was dead, allegedly shot by Khumalo.

Hlathi said the police yesterday traced Khumalo to his father's house. When he was accosted he opened fire. "He was shot dead when police returned fire and two firearms, one belonging to the Volkrust police inspector, were recovered."