The municipality will help pay the burial costs of the four women who died after being shot in the head in Benoni on January 18.
On January 14, police discovered the bodies of seven suspected illegal miners about 500m from Daveyton Road.
Four days later, the family of one of the victims were performing a ritual at a house in the N12 informal settlement, when two suspects entered and opened fire.
“The two suspects approached the females directly, without speaking to anyone, [and] shot five of the females in the head and fled the scene,” said Mack Mngomezulu, spokesperson for the police’s Ekurhuleni Central Cluster.
“[The] suspects used pistols to kill the victims.
“Four of the females died on the scene. The fifth female was rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds.”
The incident is believed to be a revenge attack on one of the suspected illegal miner who was killed.
READ:
Bodies of seven suspected illegal miners found near Daveyton Road
Five women shot in the head in Benoni, four die on scene
UPDATE: Ekurhuleni mayor to visit the families of the five women shot in Benoni
Ekurhuleni executive mayor Clr Mzwandile Masina and EMPD chief of police Isaac Mapiyeye, along with other delegates, visited the family of the five women today (January 20).
They arrived at the scene in the N12 informal settlement, then drove to the Crystal Park Police Station.
At the station, Masina promised to assist the family with the burial of their loved ones.
He said what has occurred to the family is “very sad” as innocent lives were lost due to illegal mining in the area.
Family spokesperson Noxolo*, who is the niece of one of the seven men who were killed, said she returned home from work on the day her five female relatives were shot.
“As I was in the room eating I heard gunshots,” she said.
“My uncle came running to the room [after the shooting started] and told me that my mother and aunts had been shot.
“One of the suspects followed my uncle to my room and they threatened him to keep quiet and not to leave the room.”
Noxolo said a few minutes after the shooting, she exiting the outbuilding where she was and went to see what happened.
She and her uncle found four bodies on the floor.
One of her aunts was still alive and was screaming for help.
Noxolo’s mother, sister-in-law and three aunts were shot in the incident.
Masina said the family will be taken to a safe house until they find them a place to stay.
The mayor urges residents and family members to speak out about any illegal activities, so that police can assist and arrest the culprits.
The fifth women, Noxolo’s aunt, is still in hospital.
* Not her real name.
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