North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi has condemned Friday’s mass shooting at a tavern in Kanana, near Klerksdorp, that left eight people dead.
According to the police, five men entered the tavern on Friday evening and refused to be searched at the entrance and a scuffle ensued.
“On entering the tavern, lights were switched off and random shots were fired, as some of the patrons scampered out. Seven people died at the scene, including five men and two women. The sixth man died at the hospital,” read a police statement.
Twelve other people were seriously injured and are receiving treatment in hospital. Mokgosi urged the police to arrest those responsible for the incident.
“We are saddened and extremely shocked by this incident which left eight people dead.
I want to urge the police to do everything in their power to investigate this matter to its logical conclusion and bring to book all responsible for these dastardly acts,” said Mokgosi.
Four of the deceased are South Africans, two from Mozambique and Lesotho respectively.
Premier Mokgosi has urged the police to follow all possible leads in the arrest of the perpetrators of this heinous crime.
Meanwhile, the MEC for the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng, Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Sello Kwena and the Mayor of City of Matlosana, Fikile Mahlophe visited the crime scene and met some of the bereaved families.
“The police under the leadership of the Provincial Commissioner have already assembled a team of senior investigators and detectives to go into the thrust of this mass killing. I have no doubt that an arrest will be made soon. We further urge our communities to assist with information so that we can nip incidents such as this one in the bud and keep our communities safe,” explained Morweng.
