DURBAN - The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) is reeling from a double tragedy which first saw a school child killed in a car accident, and then a department staff member shot and killed allegedly by a relative of the schoolboy in retaliation for the accident.

In a statement, the department said two staff members - a man and a woman - were driving through Msinga in the Ngome area on official business after returning from Pietermaritzburg when they were involved in accident which resulted in the death of schoolboy Msizi Mkhize at about 1.30pm on Friday.

"The pair stopped the car as they were still in shock, attempting to solicit assistance when they were confronted by an unknown gunman who reportedly threatened the two colleagues with violence which resulted in the male employee managing to run away in the process escaping a hail of bullets fired at him, while the female, trapped in the vehicle, was shot dead on the scene," said KZN Cogta MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane confirmed the incident and said it was alleged that a relative of the 9-year-old child opened fire on the department officials after the accident.

“A 38-year-old woman was killed after a relative of the child opened fire and the driver fled on foot and reported the matter to the police,” said Zwane.

Zwane said no arrests had been made and police had opened a case of culpable homicide for the death of the child by car accident, while a case of murder had been opened for the death of the government official who was wounded fatally by gunshots.

Dube-Ncube has expressed her condolences to the Mkhize family and also to the family of the government official who was killed.

“In the same breath, we condemn the murder of one of our staff members following this accident. Words cannot describe how one feel when one thinks of the loss endured by those who have just lost a child to an accident. But words also fail one to fathom that another person could be murdered in retaliation,” said Dube-Ncube.

Dube-Ncube said the incident was a “horrible tragedy”.

“The death of a child is sad and very disturbing news to all of us, it is also deeply hurting that a defenceless woman was brutally murdered in what appears to be an act of retaliation. We send our heartfelt condolences to all the affected families who have lost their relatives in this tragic situation.

"Equally, we strongly condemn the acts of violence and taking of law into their own hands. We encourage members of the public to work with the police in identifying all those involve behind this tragic incident," said Dube-Ncube.

KZN Cogta appealed to the law enforcement agencies to investigate the double tragedy without delay. The department also appealed for calm and cooperation within the community of Msinga in the wake of the incidents.