- Police are investigating 18 murders after another victim of the Wedela tavern shooting died in hospital, with only four victims identified.
- A witness says the gunmen checked who was inside the tavern before opening fire, as police probe robbery, retaliation and mining rivalry as motives.
The death toll from the mass shooting at Dora’s Tavern in Wedela, near Carletonville, has risen to 18, after one of the wounded died in hospital.
Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said only four of those killed have been identified, two South Africans and two Lesotho nationals. Five of the injured were shot in the upper body and remain critically wounded, while the rest are in a stable condition. All injured victims have been identified.
The attack happened at around 9:30pm on Saturday, during Heritage Day celebrations, when gunmen opened fire on patrons seated outside before entering the tavern and continuing to shoot.
Witness Siyabonga Vokwana, who was inside at the time, said eight men wearing balaclavas and jackets he believed were from Lesotho entered and checked who was present before opening fire.
“After checking, they start shooting,” he said.
Police say the attackers then searched victims for cellphones and other valuables before fleeing in two vehicles, torching two other cars parked near the tavern.
Police are investigating 18 murders, 18 attempted murders, and cases of malicious damage to property and armed robbery. No arrests have been made.
Gauteng Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni has set up a dedicated team, and Operation Prosper, which includes the South African National Defence Force and specialised police units, has been deployed to the area.
Police have not confirmed a motive, but are examining several possibilities, including robbery, a rivalry between illegal miners, or retaliation linked to a shooting at the same tavern about a month earlier, in which one person died.
The Wedela attack came within hours of a separate mass shooting in Lwandle, Cape Town, that killed 10 people and wounded 11, bringing the combined death toll from both incidents to 27 in one weekend. It followed a third shooting days earlier that killed 11 people at a house party near Durban.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said police had identified images of Wedela suspects and were working to track them down.
“This cannot go on like this,” he said.
“This is the level of criminality that we must bring down, and our security forces are now going to continue pulling out all stops.”
Residents at the scene have questioned why police were not visible until after the shooting.
“Where were they when this happened? Their presence doesn’t change the fact that people have died and probably more will die,” one resident said.
Another accused government of failing the community.
The National Liquor Traders Council said the Wedela and Lwandle attacks are threatening both customers’ lives and tavern owners’ livelihoods.
“It’s very worrying for us tavern owners because what it says to us is that we are now facing an existential threat whereby our means to support our families is at risk,” said council convener Lucky Ntimane, who called for stronger police action.
Pictured above: Police are investigating 18 murders after the death toll from the Wedela tavern shooting increased.
Image source: Palesa Matlala
