‘As it gets late, people stop buying’: Tavern shootings hard for patrons and owners

Another senseless mass tavern shooting has again left South Africans in fear.

At least 39 people were gunned down in three different tavern shootings leaving up to 21 dead and 18 injured in July.

Mandla Zulu from Vosloorus, a tavern patron, said he does not feel safe anymore. “It’s scary when you think of going to a public space like a tavern to enjoy with your friends, then finding yourself being shot at and killed.”

Zulu said the tavern was not only a place to get drunk, it was also a space to have peace of mind.

“We mingle with friends in these trying times. Some of us don’t have TV or electricity so we go there to watch live sports, especially football. We frequently go and sit, buy some liquor and enjoy soccer matches both local and abroad,” he said.

Zulu said it seemed the police were overwhelmed.

“The government should intervene and give the police department funds to employ the community police forum,” he said. “As they are on the ground and stay in these townships, they can assist the cops to curb these killings.”

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Nkosinathi Qezu, a tavern owner from Soweto, said the situation of mass shootings in taverns was a serious problem which led to people living in fear.

In Soweto, 23 people were shot, leaving 16 dead and 11 more injured at the Emazulwini tavern in Orlando East in the early hours of 11 July.

Qezu said there were no means or the capacity to hire security, so it was difficult to operate effectively.

“As soon as it starts getting late, people stop buying and we need to start closing up which affects the business severely,” he said. “My business is now down on sales because of this.”

Qezu said this matter needed to be resolved and there needed to be more accountability in regards to why taverns were mainly being targeted.

“We see the cops patrolling from time to time but it is not enough. The government needs to work on trying to establish who is doing this and why they are doing such,” he said.

“There is no truth in what is happening. Some are saying it might be foreign nationals, others are saying its not. We just do not know anymore.”

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At least six people were killed on Saturday in yet another mass shooting in KwaZulu-Natal. It was understood the victims were shot on Saturday evening in Savannah Park in Marianhill.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said three gunmen allegedly opened fire on patrons.

“It is alleged that at 7.30pm, a group of unknown men opened fire at people who were at a tuckshop in Marianhill, killing six men aged between 30 and 65 years old. One other man who sustained gunshot wounds was transported to hospital for medical attention.

“Initial investigations revealed three of the deceased were the tuckshop owner as well as his two sons. One of the deceased, who was waiting at the tuckshop to see a traditional healer, might have been the actual target of the hit.”

– Additional reporting by Faizel Patel

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