THE death toll from the weekend shooting at Mdlalose Tavern in has increased.The death toll from the shooting at the tavernLahlumlenze, Orlando East, now stands at 16.
This is after one of the victims succumbed to their injuries at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.
Another patron was shot and killed in Mamelodi, Tshwane, bringing the number of people who have died in tavern shootings since the weekend to 22.
MEC Faith Mazibuko visited the families of the deceased in Soweto yesterday, 12 July. “We have heard that a 16th person has died,” she said.
Mazibuko said they will be working with taxi associations to assist the families that will be going to bury their loved ones outside of Gauteng.
She said there’s also an undertaker who will be assisting with the burial packages.
“Police are working around the clock, including in the case of those who were killed in Katlehong,” she said.
“The teams are working closely together and they have gathered a lot of information that will assist them to affect arrests.”
Phila Mluma (31), a sister to the dead Thamsanqa Mluma (54), said her brother was unemployed and they didn’t have any means to give him a dignified send off.
Mazibuko also said they are working on making sure that the families get given a chance of performing ritual where they will be collecting the spirits of their loved ones from the tavern.
Phila said people flock to the taverns not only to quench their thirst but also to watch TV.
“We have TVs, but we don’t have electricity, that’s why people go there to watch soapies,” she said.
Meanwhile in Mamelodi, Tshwane, three armed suspects, wearing balaclavas, shot and killed a tavern patron in the early hours of Monday morning.
Police spokeswoman Captain Augustinah Selepe said the police had launched a manhunt after a 33-year-old man was shot dead at Monaco Tavern.
“Police received information about the shooting and found the victim lying on the ground after being shot in twice the head,” she said.
“They fired shots in the air and people dispersed. Then they approached a man and shot him in the head.”
“Police are investigating a case of murder,” said Selepe.
