Police are yet to arrest the suspects who randomly fired shots at patrons in Tsibi’s Tavern in Basothong Section,Daveyton, Ekurhuleni over the weekend where six men died on the scene while one was hospitalised.
Gauteng Police Spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said extra resources were deployed in the area following the incident and that the motive for the killings has not yet been established.
“The Provincial Commissioner of the police in Gauteng, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has mobilised extra resources following a random shooting that claimed the lives of six men at Rolong street in Daveyton on the evening of 16 September 2023.
“It is alleged that the victims were sitting outside a tavern when a group of unknown men came from nowhere and started shooting at the victims. The circumstances that led to the shooting are unknown at this stage and no suspects have been arrested as yet.”
Lydia Phanya who lost two family members – Ralenyo and Moses Ntshangase said the pair died minutes after she had been with them outside the tavern. She said Ntshangase was visiting Moses when he met his untimely death.
“I was sitting outside with them, they were drinking beer, cracking jokes and there was a Kaizer Chiefs game. Ten minutes after I went inside I just heard gunshots. I was lucky because I could have died along with them but I ran outside calling for my uncle’s name but there was no reply,” she said.
Mamotsheare Makhalemele described her 40-year-old brother Thato Makhalemele who died in the shooting as a peaceful person.
“He was a paramedic, and loved drinking whenever he had free time and he never bothered anyone,” she said, adding that Thato had one kid with his girlfriend.
South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) member in Ekurhuleni Goodfriend Shezi said police should conduct raids as a first step to push back against zama-zamas that he alleged were responsible for the shootings.
“If the police can come and raid these shacks (pointing at the direction they are located) and close the shafts of these mines maybe we could see change.”
He said if there was political will illegal mining could be a thing of the past.
One patron who only wanted to be identified as Tshepo said he was traumatised to witness the incident when some of his friends were gunned down.
“As a patron this incident is more of a trauma in a sense that civilians are dead for no reason. It’s traumatizing because those were my friends and we usually meet there.”
