SOWETAN SAYS | Intelligence crucial for ending mass killings

Lavisa lifestyle where eight people were shot dead on Saturday morning in Pienaar, Mpumalanga.
Lavisa lifestyle where eight people were shot dead on Saturday morning in Pienaar, Mpumalanga.
Image: Mandla Khoza

Another mass shooting. This time in Mpumalanga where eight people were shot dead on Saturday at a tavern in Pienaar.

According to the police, six people were fatally shot at the scene (one female and five males) while two others (a male and female) succumbed to their injuries later in the hospital.

Three other victims (two males and a female) were receiving medical treatment after sustaining injuries during the incident.

The motive for the shooting remains unknown, however, police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. No arrests have been made, but police are appealing to the public for information to provide a team of investigators with a tip-off anonymously.

“There is a team of experts in the investigation field that has been assembled to investigate this incident. A 72-hour plan has been activated after the incident,” said police spokesperson Col Donald Mdhluli.

This is yet another horrific killing of people in SA and the first such mass murder recorded this year. Unfortunately, given our record of massacres of people in shootings, this record will probably be broken soon or later.

Such is the state of our country and lawlessness that mass killings have become a common occurrence. These killings occur with unfailing familiarity, particularly in taverns.

According to police minister Senzo Mchunu, 9,000 people were killed in multiple murder incidents between 2019 and 2023. Mchunu revealed this in a written response to a parliamentary question from RISE Mzansi MP Makashule Gana. Last year, at least 49 people were killed in mass shootings between July and September according to second quarter crime statistics.

These tragic incidents underscore the urgent need for our country to address the deeply rooted violence that defines our daily lives. The level of organised criminal activity by gangs who have no regard for human lives ought to concern all of us. Our politicians recognise that this is a huge problem, but seemingly they are incapable of solving it. Our police are doing their best with limited resources to arrest those behind these heinous crimes as we have seen with those behind the Lusikisiki massacre.

But what is deeply troubling is the regularity of these crimes. Getting those responsible for these killings should not just be tired refrain after the shootings. Intelligence gathering to prevent these mass murders must be strengthened within communities. We must therefore ask if failure to bring the murderers of the 16 patrons at Mdlalose Tavern in Orlando, Soweto, three years ago has not bred impunity and guaranteed more attacks from marauding gangs.

SowetanLIVE 

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