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‘We’ll not allow criminals to prevail’: Ramaphosa says Lusikisiki shooting won’t go unpunished
The Presidency confirmed that a team of specialised detectives and forensic experts had been dispatched to the Eastern Cape to investigate the crime scene.
President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
President Cyril Ramaphosa has promised that the gunmen responsible for the mass shooting in Lusikisiki, in the Eastern Cape, which led to 18 fatalities over the weekend, will be apprehended.
The incident occurred on Saturday in Ngobozana village, where 17 individuals lost their lives, with an 18th victim succumbing to injuries in the hospital.
15 women and three men died.
It is believed that armed suspects opened fire and killed the victims in two separate houses.
The victims were in the process of preparing for a traditional ritual to signify the end of mourning for a mother and daughter who were killed last year.
Ramaphosa reacts to Lusikisiki shooting
On Monday, Ramaphosa expressed his condolences to the families affected, assuring them that the South African Police Service (SAPS) has mobilised “maximum resources” to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.
The Presidency confirmed that a team of specialised detectives and forensic experts had been dispatched to the Eastern Cape to investigate the crime scene.
“I feel deeply for all the families and members of the broader community affected by this attack and on behalf of all of us, as South Africans, I offer you our deepest sympathies.
“While we are united in our grief, we are also united in our outrage and condemnation of this excessive criminal assault, which will not go unpunished,” Ramaphosa said in a statement.
ALSO READ: Police investigate motive behind ‘senseless’ Eastern Cape mass murder [VIDEO]
Aside from the Lusikisiki mass shooting, 38 individuals have been killed under similar circumstances over the past two years, according to the Presidency.
A total of 25 suspects were arrested in connection to these shootings and are currently in custody.
In addition, Ramaphosa stated that he was confident that the Lusikisiki case would become another success for the police.
“Community members should therefore feel free to provide investigators with information that can help police apprehend the attackers and prepare a watertight case for our courts to process. We will not allow criminals to prevail,” the president added.
Lusikisiki victims identified
The police have identified the victims as:
- Thobile Sinqina – 37
- Nonkanyiso Dukuza – 19,
- Ruth King – 21
- Mandisa Dlokweni – 59
- Samantha Sinqina – 26
- Lungiswa Gawulekana – 51
- Thandeka Mhlaluvele – 46
- Mary Sinqina – 63
- Nombuliso Dukuza – 32
- Mathembisile Mayekiso – 6
- Nobelungu France – 59
- Themi Vimba – 41
- Nomazwi Ndleleni – 59
- Smomoza Sinqina – 14
- Nancy Sinqina – 59
- Dimpho Sinqina – 30
- Thali King Sinqina – 26
- Sigobodo Gxobela – 59
Two injured people are receiving treatment in hospital.
“The motive for the shooting is still unclear at this stage and forms part of the investigation,” the police said in a statement.
READ MORE: Lusikisiki mass shooting death toll rises as hunt for suspects continue [VIDEO]
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and the police’s top brass will visit the families and residents on Tuesday.
Rise Mzansi has condemned the mass shooting.
“One death as a result of crime is too many, but 18 is simply and tragically a dear signal that South Africa is facing an ongoing crime emergency,” Rise Mzansi MP Makashule Gana said on Monday.
Gana called for regular updates on the matter.
“This should not be seen to be or treated as a normal case,” he added.
ANC bemoans ‘tragic loss
Meanwhile, African National Congress (ANC) member of parliament Meagan Chauke-Adonis described the killings as an “atrocity that defies comprehension, a tragic loss that reverberates far beyond the lives directly taken”.
“The sheer scale of this violence is staggering, and the impact extends to families, friends, communities, and society as a whole,” she said in a statement.
Chauke-Adonis further emphasised the need to address the root causes of such violence.
READ MORE: Police investigating after at least 8 killed in Khayelitsha mass shooting
“The fact that so many lives could be taken so abruptly and violently is a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the need for stronger measures to prevent such tragedies.
“I would like to convey my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims and I hope they find closure soon.
“I urge the law enforcement agencies to use all the resources at their disposal to find and prosecute the perpetrators of this injustice. The families and friends of the victims deserve justice.”
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