Mpumalanga government wants ’speedy arrest’ after five people executed
The SAPS in Mpumalanga has launched a manhunt for suspects following two separate incidents in which five people were killed and their houses torched.
PRETORIA, June 17 (ANA) – Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison Vusi Shongwe has condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the horrific murders of five people in two separate incidents in Mpumalanga.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) in Mpumalanga has launched “a vigorous manhunt” for suspects following the two separate incidents in which five people were killed and their houses torched.
SAPS Mpumalanga spokesperson Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said these “horrifying incidents” occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, at Bushbuckridge and Madras near Hazyview.
“Reports indicate that in the first incident, police received information about a shooting incident at Madras, where four family members were shot execution style by four suspects inside their RDP house. When police arrived at the scene, they found the house in flames with four victims inside lying unconscious with burn wounds in two separate rooms,” said Hlathi.
He said the emergency services were summoned for assistance and all the victims were certified dead.
“The victims have already been identified by the family as Martha Ndlovu (mother) aged 53, Eckson Five Ndlovu (father) aged 59, Lovenecia Ndlovu (daughter), aged 14 and 12-year-old Permission Ndlovu (daughter). Police further discovered that one family member, a 25-year-old man who was also in the house, survived the shooting and managed to alert neighbours who eventually notified police,” said Hlathi.
Meanwhile, in the second incident, which occurred in Bushbuckridge, police said a group of about four armed suspects stormed into a certain house at Mandela Village.
“It is said that Caswell Maphanga, aged 25, was asleep at the time and the suspects reportedly shot at him and then burned the house before they fled the scene. Concerned members of the public notified relevant stakeholders about the incident and upon arrival, the firefighters extinguished the fire. However, Maphanga was unfortunately certified dead by the paramedics and police opened a murder case, hence the manhunt,” said Hlathi.
“A preliminary investigation revealed that before the incident, Caswell’s mother received a call from her other son indicating that there were people looking for him (Caswell’s brother) and the people were already on their way to the house.”
Hlathi said the mother was reportedly at work at the time and she then learnt that the suspects had already killed Caswell in addition to burning her house.
“A preliminary probe has revealed that these killing sprees are as a result of gangs fighting against each other.”
MEC Shongwe on Thursday appealed to the police to swiftly arrest the suspects.
Shongwe has further called on the community to remain calm while the police investigate.
The Mpumalanga provincial government has sent condolences to the bereaved families.
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher
