Party leads to carnage

Numerous residents complained about a large crowd of young people who gathered in the streets at the four-way stop on Saturday afternoon. The centre of their activities was the parking lot in front of Sherlock Café. Videos and photos shared on social media and taken by people driving past showed how hundreds of youngsters, many of whom seemed intoxicated or drugged, literally took over the streets, ignoring oncoming traffic from all sides.
“I almost hit someone with my car. It was the most people I had ever seen gathered at a place,” a resident complained.
According to the Carletonville police, things started getting out of hand when members of two groups attending the party started fighting at about 20:30. Two young men were stabbed, and onlookers called the police and an ambulance.
One victim died at the scene on the street opposite Hoërskool Carletonville, while the other died from multiple stab wounds after arriving at Carletonville Hospital.
The body of yet another youth was found in Silver Street, within walking distance from where the party took place, early the following morning. He had also been stabbed and had, as far as could be determined, been involved in the same fight.
Murder cases were opened, but by Monday, no one had yet been arrested in connection with the murders.
Several residents and political parties complained that the police should have intervened and broken up the party before the murders occurred, as everything was clearly out of hand.
Some said they had even called the police to inform them of it. Given that the party was at one of the major crossings in central town, this should have been unnecessary anyway.
Meanwhile, questions also arose over the ability of the Merafong City Local Municipality to enforce its by-laws to ensure order in the town and whether municipal traffic officers also have a role to play in ensuring that pedestrians stay out of our streets, as stipulated in the Road Traffic Act.
By Monday, several empty and broken bottles were still lying on the sidewalks and in the streets where the party took place.
The Herald asked the municipality about the issue on Tuesday.
“The municipality did not approve any public gathering for the weekend of 4 to 5 March 2023. All public gatherings must be dealt with in terms of the Public Gathering Act, where it is a requirement that the applicant must apply and be held liable for any damage to property or unlawful behaviour.
“In this case, no application was received, and the law enforcement officers were unaware of such activities. The swimming pool and lapa were closed to the public on Saturday as a family in Carletonville had reserved them for a birthday celebration. No application was submitted for the street party. No liquor or hubbly-bubblies are allowed at the swimming pool.