Four people are expected to appear in court in connection with the mass shooting incident at a Pietermaritzburg tavern that left four dead and eight injured.
DURBAN – Four people have been arrested in connection with the shooting incident at a Pietermaritzburg tavern that left four people dead and eight injured.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala confirmed that the suspects, aged between 19 and 36, were due to appear in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
They were arrested over two days in the Nhlazatshe area and face charges of murder and attempted murder.
Two of the suspects were found in unlawful possession of a firearm with a total of 17 rounds of ammunition.
The shooting incident took place on July 9 at the Samkelisiwe Tavern in Sweetwaters.
Police said that at around 8.30pm two men entered the tavern and randomly opened fire on the patrons, resulting in at least 12 people being shot.
“Two people died at the scene and two died later, while the other eight have been admitted in hospital for treatment,” Gwala said.
The deceased were aged between 30 and 45.
At the time, the provincial commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi mobilised maximum resources to track down and bring those responsible to book.
The arrests were made by the Provincial Organised Crime Task Team, Crime Intelligence and the National Intervention Stabilisation Team, joined by Magma private security company.
