Everson Luhanga
Six people were shot and killed on Thursday night including Alex FM music manager, Joshua Mbatha in Alexandra.
Mbatha was on his way home with two other colleagues after knocking off from the station when he was shot.
They were allegedly stopped by three gunmen who demanded their belongings including cellphones. The assailants took their phones and shoes, shot them and ran away.
Alex FM station manager Takalani Nemangowe and board chairman for the station Isaac Mangena confirmed the shooting and Mbatha’s death.
“It’s with great pain that we inform you of the sad news of the passing on of our staff member Joshua Mbatha.
“DJ Josh, 32, as he was affectionately known, was the Music Manager at Alex FM.
“He was on his way with two of his colleagues Sammy Ramodike and Matome Mookanedi, when they were stopped by about three gunmen at 7th Selbourne. They took their phones and shoes before shooting Joshua in the chest,” Mangema said.
The same alleged suspects shot and killed a local Toyota Avanza taxi driver and his passenger. They both died on the scene.
Their reign of terror continued when three other people were killed in a similar fashion.
Alexandra’s local Masakhane clinic was filled with people with gunshot wounds.
On Wednesday two people including a teenager who had visited his relative in Alexandra from KwaZulu-Natal were shot and killed. The teenager was caught in a crossfire when gunmen targeted another man.
A police officer who patrols the streets of Alexandra told Scrolla.Africa that he attended to a murder scene last Saturday where the victim was killed in the same manner by a group of armed thugs.
Gauteng provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela and Gauteng Premier David Makhura visited Alexandra township and met with other senior police officials and leaders of the community.
Police Minister Bheki Cele will also visit the township on Friday afternoon.
The shootings come amid many violent events that have rocked the country. Last weekend, 16 people were shot and killed at a tavern in Soweto’s Orlando East.
Two other people were murdered at a tavern in Pietermaritzburg.
