Cape Town - Four gunmen stormed into a shebeen in KTC, Nyanga, on Saturday afternoon firing several shots which killed three patrons, including a prominent ANC member in the area, Ndonda Ngemntu.
Thobinceba Gunya, 29, and an as-yet-unidentified man were also shot dead. Four people were injured.
Patrons were about to watch the Springboks and New Zealand game when the tavern came under attack.
Survivors said on Sunday that the gunmen had not said a word as they walked in, pulled out guns and started firing.
The owner of the Maduna Tavern, who refused to give her name, said she had heard that some men had arrived by car and started shooting at the customers.
”It is not clear and no one seems to know why the men started shooting,” she said.
Ngemntu, 39, was a former ANC Youth League spokesperson and provincial executive committee member in the Western Cape, and was deployed to the National Youth Development Agency.
Ngemntu’s sister Khulukazi, 41, said it was devastating that some of her family members had learnt about the shooting on social networks. She urged people to respect the family.
She said she had spent most of the day with Ngemntu before he left to watch the game with friends.
“We received a call that he had been shot and we rushed to the scene, but when we arrived he was already taken to hospital, where he died.
“We are saddened, angry and devastated. We are asking ourselves questions like why,” said Khulukazi.
ANC Western Cape spokesperson Yonela Diko said the ANC was shocked and saddened by the news.
He described Ngemntu as a young revolutionary who cut his political teeth in the student leadership in Cosas, Sasco and the ANC Youth League.
He said Ngemntu had been part of the ANC provincial delegation that went to the ANC’s national general council recently in order to push the interests of his region and his province onto the ANC’s national agenda.
“His branch trusted him with many tasks; his region had confidence in his leadership. Many a time the province had called on him to take various responsibilities, fully aware of his capacity and his courage,” said Diko.
One of the surviving victims said the four gunmen who walked into the tavern did not appear to have a specific target.
”I can’t say the gunmen were targeting people inside because they were shooting randomly.
“After the first few shots I hid in a corner, and when they left I realised I was slightly hit in the leg and arm,” he said.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said cases of murder and attempted murder were being investigated, but no one had yet been arrested.
Rwexana appealed for information to assist with the investigation.
Contact Crime Stop anonymously at 08600 10111 or SMS Crimeline at 32211.
@PhalisoSandiso
Cape Times
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