Police suspect that the dilapidated house in eMsahweni, in KwaMakhutha, south of Durban, where seven men were gunned down on Wednesday was used as a drug house.

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-gen Khombinkosi Jula visited the house on Thursday and told journalists the police had discovered Ecstasy and whoonga inside.

“The seven deceased were shot execution-style. We found 25 ecstasy tablets and 25 whoonga straws under their bodies. This gives us the indication that this house was used as a house where they could come and smoke or be involved in criminal activities,” said Jula.

Jula  said that the house, which is hidden from the main road, was abandoned. 

A short while later, however, a man, Vusi Ndlovu, came forward saying that the house belonged to his family and that his younger brother lived there. Ndlovu said his brother was not among the dead and that police had taken him in for questioning.

When asked about the drug activity, Ndlovu said: “I had heard rumours about it and I once came to see if I could find something or speak to my brother about it, but no-one would admit that they were running this sort of business. I also had no concrete evidence.”

Jula said police worked throughout the night and no arrests had been made.