A KwaZulu-Natal school principal was fatally shot at Delani Primary School in Mariannhill.

The incident occurred after 3 pm when an armed man approached the principal, who was conversing with a school security guard, and shot him twice in the head.

The suspect quickly fled the scene in a getaway car. Despite being rushed to the hospital, the 58-year-old principal succumbed to his injuries upon arrival.

The motive for the killing remains unknown, and Mariannhill police are conducting a murder investigation.

The tragic incident adds to concerns about schools becoming vulnerable to criminal activities in the region.