Eighteen people were killed and 14 injured when 8 armed suspects stormed a tavern in Wedela near Carltonville last Saturday. This after unidentified assailants allegedly opened fire on patrons outside before continuing their rampage inside and torching 2 vehicles prior to fleeing the scene.
Gauteng Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni, confirmed that some of the victims included South African citizens alongside nationals from Ethiopia and Lesotho.
Authorities noted that robbery likely served as a primary motive because personal belongings were stolen, though investigators continue examining potential turf wars involving illegal mining syndicates.
“Police believe the motive behind the shooting was robbery, as personal belongings had been taken, but we cannot rule out turf wars between illegal mining groups,” Mthombeni said. Adding to Mthombeni’s suspicions, Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner, Major-General Fred Kekana, believes the attack might represent retaliation for a violent incident occurring the previous month.
Police have confirmed that investigators possess clear photographs and identities for several key suspects linked to the massacre. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Carletonville Region condemned the violence while urging law enforcement agencies to deploy all resources to apprehend the perpetrators.
Union representatives appealed to local community members to share vital information with police while demanding decisive crackdowns on illegal firearms across the West Rand. “Our deepest sympathies and total solidarity go out to the grieving families, the injured victims, and the broader Wedela community.
The tragic loss of 18 lives has left families without parents, children without care, and an entire community plunged into mourning,” the union said. In a separate mass shooting attack during the early hours of Sunday morning, 10 individuals were killed and 11 others injured outside an entertainment spot in Lwandle near Cape Town.
Five victims succumbed to their wounds at the scene while an additional five died after arriving at local hospitals. Police confirmed that no arrests had been executed for either massacre by Sunday morning while motive inquiries regarding the Cape Town shooting remain ongoing.
These devastating incidents occurred merely days after a similar and unrelated assault left 11 people dead following a home invasion in KwaMakhutha township.
