POLICE MINISTRY ASSURES JUSTICE AFTER THE NATION TAVERN MASS SHOOTINGS

Police Minister, General Bheki Cele, and his deputy, Cassel Mathale, along with the senior management of the South African Police Service (SAPS) led by National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola on Monday, 11 July 2022, received a full report on the mass shootings that took place in Soweto and Katlehong in Ekurhuleni. In the Nomzamo Informal settlement in Orlando East, Soweto, 15 people were killed in a tavern when five gunmen gained entry into the establishment in the early hours of Sunday morning and shot at the unsuspecting patrons.

Police Ministry Spokesperson Lirandzu Themba says a total of 23 people were shot inside the Mdlalose tavern in Orlando East, 12 people were killed on the scene, three more people died in hospital and eight wounded patrons are still recovering in surgical wards in nearby hospitals. Police management have tasked an 11 member detective team to investigate the murders and maximum resources have been activated to find and apprehend the five suspects.

While no arrests have been yet made for the tavern shooting in Katlehong, east of Johannesburg, where two people were killed over the weekend, the Police Ministry has welcomed the arrest of two suspects believed to be linked to the Pietermaritzburg tavern shooting that took place on 9 July 2022.

Furthermore the Ministry continues to call for community policing partnerships and encourages residents to come forward with valuable information, that assists police investigations and deal decisively with crime.