Gunman opens fire on studying Mdantsane pupils, killing three and injuring one

The Eastern Cape has lost four pupils to shootings in just over a week, and the motive for the murders is yet to be established.

In the latest incident, three pupils were shot dead, while one was critically injured after a gunman opened fire on them while they were studying together in Mdantsane on Sunday evening.

According to provincial police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu, the owner of the house –where the four teenagers aged between 17 and 19 were studying – heard gunshots coming from the back of her house.

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The injured victim then ran to her house for assistance, where the police were called to the scene.

One of the pupils died on the scene, while another two died in hospital. The fourth victim is still in hospital. They all sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

Naidu said the motive for the shooting was yet to be established. However, a 32-year-old suspect had been arrested in connection with the shooting.

Nothing was stolen from the scene.

The victims were pupils at Buchule Senior Secondary School and Mzomhle Senior Secondary School.

Eastern Cape Education MEC Fundile Gade will visit families of the victims on Wednesday.

This follows the shooting of an 18-year-old pupil in Schauderville last Monday night.

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The matric pupil, Chadwin Witbooi, collapsed in the yard of a house in Jameson Road and rushed to hospital.

Witbooi, who died on arrival at the hospital, had sustained a gunshot wound.

The motive of the shooting is yet to be stablished.

Motive of shootings

According to Eastern Cape Education Department spokesperson Mali Mtima, the department was working with the South African Police Service (Saps) to establish if the two shootings were related.

“Two of the victims were in matric, while the other two were in Grade 11. According to us, we do not see any reason because these were pupils. We’re not sure if it was a robbery or just crime. We are providing the schools and families with psychosocial support,” Mtima told Newzroom Afrika.

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“We’re worried if this is a new trend and we hope the police will be able to give us answers as to whether there is a link between these cases. These are youngsters, and some of them were just about to break the cycle of poverty in their families, but these families have been robbed of such children.”