Everson Luhanga
It started as a night of joy and celebration – it ended in a bloodbath.
Seven gunmen stormed a house in Tshepisong near Kagiso west of Johannesburg on Saturday night looking for revenge.
It appears they were out to kill three men they believed were involved in the murder of a fellow gang member who was killed last weekend.
Two of the suspected targeted men have died and one survived – but they were not the only victims.
At least four others died while the suspected “Basotho” gang battled their way out.
The three alleged targets were Sammy Makwane, who was killed together with his wife Sharon Maria Kediemetse, Mashudu Nemalili, who was in an RDP house in the same yard, and a shebeen owner who survived.
As bullets flew, a wedding celebration was taking place next door.
Unaware of the carnage outside, people were drinking and enjoying life after the wedding of Prince Maliaga and his sweetheart Elizabeth Dlamini.
But the armed men, trying to escape from the scene where they had killed three people, stormed into the wedding and fired randomly.
Their victims included the bride and the groom’s son Philani Dlamini. The bride’s son-in-law Bruce Masepa is fighting for his life in hospital.
A total of seven people were killed and nine others were reported to be receiving medical attention at different hospitals.
Lerato Kote, who lost her husband Carlos Sithole in the crossfire, said there were seven suspects. “They fired eight bullets on Sammy [Makwane] and his wife had been struck with several bullets.
“My husband Carlos was shot three times in his head,” said Lerato.
“He tried to run away after being shot, but he collapsed and died there.”
Lerato is also related to both Sammy and his wife Sharon Maria Kediemetse.
When the Scrolla.Africa team arrived on the scene, there was still blood in the yard where the couple died.
As the day progressed, shocked family members started flocking to the house.
The dead included Sharon Mutle, whose sister Dipuo is pictured above.
“I don’t know what the motive is, but I know my sister has died for something she doesn’t know anything about,” he said.
