A shooting incident in Emjindini, Barberton, Mpumalanga, has left one person dead and three others injured. According to Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo, the incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, and police received a complaint at about 3:50 am. The victims were shot while on their way from a tavern in Emjindini. A medical practitioner at a local hospital pointed out the deceased and three other victims who had sustained gunshot wounds.
The preliminary investigation suggests that the four victims were shot while leaving the tavern. One victim succumbed to his injuries, while the other three are currently receiving medical treatment. Barberton police have opened a case of murder and three counts of attempted murder. A manhunt for the suspect or suspects has been launched, and police are working to determine the motive for the shooting.
Police have appealed for information from the public to assist in apprehending the suspect or suspects. Anyone with information can contact the nearest police station, call the Crime Stop number on 08600 10111, or submit information via the MySAPS app. All information received will be treated as confidential, and callers can choose to remain anonymous.
Mpumalanga Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Apaphia Modise has vowed to work around the clock to ensure the suspect or suspects are arrested. She emphasized that police will continue to deal with the proliferation of firearms, which are often used in violent crimes like this one. Modise pleaded with the public to alert authorities when they have information about those in possession of firearms unlawfully.
In a separate incident, 18 people have died following a shooting at a tavern in Wedela, in the West Rand District of Gauteng. The death toll rose after one more victim died in hospital. Only four of the deceased have been identified so far – two South Africans and two Lesotho nationals. The shooting took place on Friday evening.
Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni had established a dedicated multidisciplinary team to investigate the shooting. The team comprises seasoned murder and robbery detectives, Crime Intelligence, and Crime Scene Investigation members. The charges have been updated to 18 counts of murder, 18 counts of attempted murder, two counts of malicious damage to property, and armed robbery.
Police have intensified the manhunt for the suspects in the Wedela shooting, with Operation Prosper, including the South African National Defence Force and specialized SAPS units, brought in to update its operational matrix and intensify operations in Wedela and surrounding areas. No arrests have been made so far.
Key points
- One person was killed and three others wounded in a shooting incident in Emjindini, Mpumalanga.
- A separate shooting incident in Wedela, Gauteng, has left 18 people dead.
- Police have launched manhunts for suspects in both incidents and are appealing for information from the public.
