The incident happened at Imbali township in Pietermaritzburg.
According to News 24, Cele visited the bereaved community after two gunmen allegedly stormed the Memela household in the early hours of Friday morning.
The assailant killed eight family members, including its matriarch, 63-year-old Nobuhlali Memela.
Two women romantically linked to their sons were also killed.
The deceased, three males and seven females, were aged between 13 and 63.
Two other people who were in the yard at the time of the attack survived.
One is said to have hidden under a bed while another kept silent in a rondavel that was not approached by the suspects.
During his visit on Friday, Cele said police were tipped off that the suspects were conducting a “cleansing ceremony” at a house near the crime scene in the early hours of the morning and approached them.
He said the suspects opened fire as soon as they saw the police and a shootout ensued.
He said one of the suspects was killed.
“The deceased suspect is known by the name Soares. He has been on the police’s wanted list for a long time,” Cele said.
Cele said the man was with three others when police found them.
“Police arrested one of them. One fled and police are searching for him. One person was injured and taken to hospital. People are keeping an eye on him,” he said.
Cele said they were also searching for a traditional healer who is said to have supplied the assailants with muthi so they could cleanse themselves after the murders.
According to the police, three firearms were recovered from the scene where the suspects were found.
