SIYABONGA SITHOLE
The leader of Operation Dudula Movement, Nhlanhla Lux Dlamini, has called on political and community leaders to unite and come up with solutions to violent crime in Soweto.
Dlamini was reacting to yet another shooting that left two security guards dead in White City Jabavu, Soweto, on Monday night.
It is not known who shot the officers and why.
Police say they have launched a manhunt for the murderers.
"The police are searching for suspects after two security guard were fatally shot on 18 July 2022," police said.
Spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Sello said one of the security guards was on guard duty at a butchery in White City during closing time. The security officer was approached by five unknown men who shot him dead and disarmed him before fleeing the scene on foot.
A few metres from the scene, the gunmen came across the second security guard. He was returning from work. The killed him.
The police say the second victim did not have a firearm.
"The (gunmen) are unknown at this stage and police will be investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting incidents," Sello said.
Dlamini, who was among the first to arrive on the scene after 10pm, said more needed to be done to stop mass shootings and violent crime in Soweto.
He urged political and community leaders to unite behind the fight.
"I hope all the leaders across many platforms will learn that while we are fighting about our egos, people are dying. We could be coming up with programmes together, as a unit, with all political parties and civil organisations and movements. Instead, we are fighting each other. Yet another body is being put on a stretcher. It is cold, but all we do is argue and call each other names," Dlamini said in a video posted on social media.
He said killings and shootings had become normalised and a daily occurrence, adding that the incidents had left him shocked and speechless.
"This is what life has come to but it will not going to last forever. It will come to an end, not because we are wishing and praying but because we are going to take action."