Johannesburg - More than 20 people were shot in separate incidents at taverns in Gauteng and Mpumalanga over the weekend.
According to crime statistics, gun-related murders have increased by a staggering 35%, from 23 people shot and killed a day in 2021/22 to 31 people a day in 2022/23.
Six men were shot and killed at a tavern in Rolong Street, Daveyton, Ekurhuleni, on Saturday night, while one was injured and rushed to a nearby health-care facility.
It is alleged that the victims were sitting outside a tavern when a group of unknown men arrived and started shooting at them. Six were declared dead on the scene, while one was taken to the hospital, said Gauteng Provincial SAPS spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi.
“The circumstances that led to the shooting are unknown, and no suspects have been arrested as yet.”
Provincial SAPS Commissioner in Gauteng Elias Mawela has activated a 72-hour action plan.
The police request anyone with information to contact the Crime Stop Line on 08600 10111, or anonymously report tip-offs on MySapsApp. All information will be treated as strictly confidential.
Police at Kanyamazane are in pursuit of two suspects behind a shooting spree at a tavern in Kanyamazane outside Nelspruit, early yesterday.
One man, who has not yet been identified was fatally shot, while about 15 patrons were rushed to hospital.
Mpumalanga Provincial SAPS spokesperson Donald Mdhluli said there could be more victims, as others were rushed for medical treatment.
He said the bizarre incident occurred on Sunday at about 12am.
“Two armed men wearing balaclavas stormed into the tavern just after midnight, then opened fire indiscriminately. After the shooting, the suspects are said to have fled the scene,” Mdhluli said.
Police and Emergency Medical Services were summoned to the scene where they found the male victim dead. The injured victims were being treated for gunshot wounds.
Mdhluli said a murder case, with other counts of attempted murder, had been opened. The motive for the shooting was unknown at this stage.
Investigators have already been assembled under the leadership of the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Semakaleng Daphney Manamela. “No one has been arrested so far,” he said.
The police urge anyone with information to assist.
“We are very concerned about crimes being committed at liquor outlets, including crimes carried out near these taverns.
“We trust that our communities will come on board and share information that will assist in this investigation,” Manamela said.
When announcing the quarterly crime states for 2023/24, Police Minister Bheki Cele revealed that 6 228 people were killed between April and June this year, and a number were killed by illegal firearms.
Chad Thomas of IRS Forensic Investigations said it appears that there is an increase in shootings.
“This can be attributed to a multitude of factors: easy access to firearms that are obtained from old undeclared caches from the days of the liberation Struggle; smuggling of weapons and explosives across our porous borders; and theft of weapons from military, SAPS, security personnel, and civilians. However, despite the proliferation of arms, ammunition, and explosives, potentially the biggest problem is that criminals feel there will not be any consequences for their actions due to perceived ineptitude to arrest, investigate, and prosecute the sheer number of crimes due to capacity issues.”
The Star