‘It was an act of revenge’ — family of slain Ngqamakwe initiates

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By Anita Dangazele

The eldest and the only survivor of the shooting that claimed the lives of three brothers — two of them initiates and the other a traditional nurse — managed to crawl home to alert his family to the incident.

The four brothers were shot in the early hours of Tuesday morning in a suspected revenge attack.

The blood feud began when eldest brother Masibulele Busakwe, 29 — who was subsequently shot and killed — foiled a stock theft attempt by unknown criminals two months ago.

The surviving brother, Siyasanga, 29, was shot in the arm and his jaw. He is currently being treated in hospital.

According to family spokesperson Mncedisi Busakwe, he managed to crawl to the homestead and alert his family after the gunmen left the scene.

“He arrived here 30 minutes after the incident; he managed to crawl home for help. We rushed him to the hospital and called the police. We were afraid they would come back and finish him off.”

Their mother, Nomthandazo Busakwe, 51, said she feels like God has deserted her.

“In October, I lost my firstborn and now three of my sons are dead while the other is fighting for his life.”

“What sin have I committed for God to allow such things to happen to me? I have lost all hope,” said the distraught mother.

The deceased sons have been identified as Awonke,19, Anele, 20, and Sakhe, 25.

Awonke had just finished writing his matric exams at Mtebhele Senior Secondary School.

The Busakwes believe that their sons’ murders were an act of revenge.

“Masibulele was a stock owner, and he was vocal against stock theft which is prevalent in this village. We suspect they might all have been killed for the family’s livestock,” said Mncedisi Busakwe.

The family spokesperson also added that in September, Masibulele, the oldest of the Busakwe brothers, was one of the men who chased a bakkie full of stolen sheep in the village.

Tuesday’s shooting is the second of its nature, following the 2021 mass shooting at an initiation school in Tsomo which left three initiates dead.

Pictured above: The four deceased Busakwe brothers.

Image source: Supplied

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