Mass killings have wreaked havoc in different parts of the country, with Gun Free South Africa reporting that over 120 people were killed between August and October this year. These include the murders of eighteen relatives who were shot and killed in the Eastern Cape in September.
EASTERN CAPE AFFECTED BY MASS SHOOTINGS
In the Lusikisiki murder, family members were preparing to attend a traditional ceremony the next day when a parolee, Siphosoxolo Myekethe (45), and other suspects stormed the home, shooting the relatives and killing 12 instantly. Six died in the hospital where they were rushed after the incident. He was arrested in October at his home in the Mthimde location, in the Mamfengwini area of Lusikisiki. A week later, seven members of the Godini village Community Policing Forum were killed when eight unknown armed men opened fire on the group at Tina Falls near Qumbu on 6 October. A few days later, five men were shot and killed at the Chris Hani Informal Settlement in New Brighton. Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said police received a call about a shooting in the area and found the men already dead in the shack. "The police recovered their bodies inside the shack and saw that they had multiple gunshot wounds. The circumstances surrounding the incident form part of the investigation," Nkohli said at the time.
WESTERN CAPE EXPERIENCES GANG-RELATED SHOOTINGS
In October this year, six people aged between 24 and 55 were killed in a mass shooting incident in Bishop Lavis on the Cape Flats. Police said an armed suspect entered an informal dwelling in Kogelberg Street on a Sunday night and fired several shots at the occupants, killing six and injuring two. A few days earlier, another shooting incident left five people dead in Atlantis on the Cape West Coast. On December 1st, five people were killed in a mass shooting suspected to be extortion-related at Madikizela informal settlement in Mfuleni. Four suspects have since been arrested and charged with the murders. Over a week ago, a 12-year-old boy was killed, and three others were wounded after gunmen opened fire inside a salon in Khayelitsha. It's alleged that the gunmen were targeting the owner for not paying extortion money.
SEVEN VICTIMS IN JOHANNESBURG MASSACRE
A family gathering in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg, turned tragic when a tavern owner opened fire, resulting in the deaths of seven family members in October. Police reported that a three-year-old boy was among the deceased, and a murder case along with an inquest has been initiated. "It is alleged that one of the victims attempted to purchase alcohol at the local tavern, only to find it closed. Following an altercation with the tavern owner, he returned home," explained Brigadier Brenda Muridile. It is alleged that the tavern owner pursued him to his residence, where he opened fire on the family members who were celebrating after lobola negotiations.
KZN MASS KILLINGS LINKED TO WITCHCRAFT ACCUSATIONS
One of the shocking mass murders in KwaZulu Natal that made headlines this year was the shooting of seven family members, including three children, at their house in Hlokozi, Highflats while watching television on 12 September. It's alleged that the Khambule family members were shot and killed execution style. In another incident in October, five people, including four family members, were shot and killed in Estcourt. It is alleged that six suspects wearing masks and carrying rifles and handguns entered a homestead where a traditional ceremony was taking place and opened fire on the people who were enjoying the festivities. Three people died at the scene, and two others were rushed to a medical facility, where they also passed away. The deceased were aged between 45 and 61 years old.
Earlier this month, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli said investigations have revealed that some of the mass murder cases in the province are a result of family members accusing and suspecting each other of witchcraft. Ntuli said that families go to izangoma to consult and whatever they hear makes them turn against each other. "We've learnt that when families return from consulting with sangoma, they retaliate by killing their relatives, accusing them of witchcraft," said Ntuli. He referred to a case in KwaHlokohloko where seven family members were killed, including a five-year-old boy. "When you follow the case, you find elements of one side of the family believing that the other side is bewitching them because they are jealous of their success," he said. However, we applaud the excellent work of our law enforcement officers after they shot and killed two suspects linked to the murder. "We will not rest until we find those responsible for ordering the brutal killing of seven innocent people," said Ntuli.
