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The eight people who were killed at a tavern in Pienaar in Mpumalanga, South Africa were shot as they got out of the two vehicles they arrived in, according to the provincial police.
There were 10 people travelling in two cars when the incident happened on Saturday morning. Five died at the scene, with two of them found inside one of the cars. Three died later in hospital. One person has been discharged and the other is still in hospital.
Two people have since been arrested. One of them, Patrick Bongani Nkosi, has already appeared in court.
During a media briefing, Maj-Gen Zeph Mkhwanazi said reconstruction of the scene had revealed what happened before the killings.
He said information at their disposal was that the victims were travelling in two VW Polos and went to Lavisa Lifestyle on Friday night.
“After reconstruction of the crime scene, we have come to the conclusion that one of the men in the two Polos, grey and blue, was shooting randomly, and not in the direction of anyone but in the air.
“They left Lavisa Lifestyle tavern and went to another one where he (the gunman) continued to do the random shooting.”
Mkhwanazi said the group returned in the early hours of Saturday and as they were getting out of the cars, the gunman started shooting randomly again, and that was when the two suspects suddenly emerged and started shooting them.
He added that after the shooting, no gun was found at the scene, including those of the deceased.
Nkosi was arrested in possession of a firearm and 13 rounds of ammunition, while the second accused was arrested in possession of three pistols without any bullets.
Mpumalanga community safety, security and liaisons, MEC Jackie Macie, said the tavern had been closed for investigation.
“We have decided to close the place pending verification of their licences, closing time and the time this incident happened. We are speaking to the Mpumalanga economic regulator, which issues licences and also for the police to investigate the shooting,” he said.
Mkhwanazi revealed that during the festive season, police had issued a fine against Lavisa tavern for operating beyond the regulated time, in terms of their trading licence.
Lavisa owner, Dudu Dludlu, told the media this week that a patron was shot dead at their premises in December.
“We can say that in December, one person died after he was shot while playing dice outside the tavern, not inside,” said Dludlu.
The second suspect in the eight murder case was expected to appear in the KaBokweni magistrate’s court yesterday, where he faces eight charges of murder, while Nkosi’s formal bail application is expected to take place on January 21 in the same court. —SowetanLIVE
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