Five people have been shot dead in a suspected revenge attack in Mpumalanga.
Titing Titing, 22, speaking out for the first time since the attack, said he ran for his life while ducking bullets which killed his friend Tsheko Rampai at Steyn informal settlement near Ogies. Titing ’s sister Alice Mbonani, aunt Dimakatso Tladi and her husband Sipho Mabaso, were killed execution style on Thursday.
Titing ’s neighbour Mohale Kobane was also killed during the shooting spree. The sixth victim is still recovering in hospital, Sowetan has established. This despite police saying six people had been killed in the shooting.
“I was sitting in front of my shack with my friend Tsheko Rampai when I saw a man wielding a firearm coming towards us. My friend was shot and killed without any provocation. I ran away and hid inside my neighbour’s shack, ” Titing said.
He said after killing Rampai, a group of men who had arrived at the settlement in a Toyota Quantum, went to his shack where they found Mbonani and fatally shot her.
He said Mbonani was only visiting the area.
Titing said he did not know why the men were determined to kill his family.
He said Tladi and Mabaso were gunned down in their shack, about 100 metres away from his. He said the dead couple had two children,while Mbonani had three, including a one-year-old infant. Standing in front of the shack where Tladi and Mabaso were shot, Titing sobbed as he told of the responsibility of now having to take care of his sister’s young children.
“I don’t know how I’m going to start looking after the children because I’m unemployed, ” Titing said. He said he had left the settlement following the shootings because he feared for his life. He only returned yesterday to help police with investigations.
He said he would go back to his hide-out until the attackers were apprehended. Kobane’s body was found metres away from Titing’s shack. Siphokazi Dyantyi, a neighbour, said she heard more than 20 gunshots and people screaming.
“This is not for the first time, it’s an ongoing war between the Lesotho nationals involved in gangsterism issues from back home. We are no longer safe here, people are being killed,” she said.
Dyantyi said Tladi and Mabaso were shot after the assailants had allegedly failed to find their son. Community Policing Forum member June Skosana said they would engage the local station commander to beef up security and destroy all the shacks belonging to undocumented people.
Brigadier Leonard Hlathisaid they were looking for four suspects.
ramothwalap@sowetan.co.za
Five die in ‘revenge attack’
Five people have been shot dead in a suspected revenge attack in Mpumalanga.
Titing Titing, 22, speaking out for the first time since the attack, said he ran for his life while ducking bullets which killed his friend Tsheko Rampai at Steyn informal settlement near Ogies. Titing ’s sister Alice Mbonani, aunt Dimakatso Tladi and her husband Sipho Mabaso, were killed execution style on Thursday.
Titing ’s neighbour Mohale Kobane was also killed during the shooting spree. The sixth victim is still recovering in hospital, Sowetan has established. This despite police saying six people had been killed in the shooting.
“I was sitting in front of my shack with my friend Tsheko Rampai when I saw a man wielding a firearm coming towards us. My friend was shot and killed without any provocation. I ran away and hid inside my neighbour’s shack, ” Titing said.
He said after killing Rampai, a group of men who had arrived at the settlement in a Toyota Quantum, went to his shack where they found Mbonani and fatally shot her.
He said Mbonani was only visiting the area.
Titing said he did not know why the men were determined to kill his family.
He said Tladi and Mabaso were gunned down in their shack, about 100 metres away from his. He said the dead couple had two children,while Mbonani had three, including a one-year-old infant. Standing in front of the shack where Tladi and Mabaso were shot, Titing sobbed as he told of the responsibility of now having to take care of his sister’s young children.
“I don’t know how I’m going to start looking after the children because I’m unemployed, ” Titing said. He said he had left the settlement following the shootings because he feared for his life. He only returned yesterday to help police with investigations.
He said he would go back to his hide-out until the attackers were apprehended. Kobane’s body was found metres away from Titing’s shack. Siphokazi Dyantyi, a neighbour, said she heard more than 20 gunshots and people screaming.
“This is not for the first time, it’s an ongoing war between the Lesotho nationals involved in gangsterism issues from back home. We are no longer safe here, people are being killed,” she said.
Dyantyi said Tladi and Mabaso were shot after the assailants had allegedly failed to find their son. Community Policing Forum member June Skosana said they would engage the local station commander to beef up security and destroy all the shacks belonging to undocumented people.
Brigadier Leonard Hlathisaid they were looking for four suspects.
ramothwalap@sowetan.co.za
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