National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola to testify before Madlanga Commission on Monday. Image: EWN.
(The Post News)- National Commissioner Lt-Gen Fannie Masemola has deployed a specialized police team in Reiger Park, Boksburg, following a mass shooting on Saturday night that killed six people and wounded three others.
According to the police, this mass shooting was described as a drive-by shooting. Masemola said this specialized police team is meant to stabilize the area and hunt down those behind a deadly drive-by shooting.
According to Gauteng police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, the reason behind the attack has not yet been determined. She said suspects driving in two vehicles drove through the neighborhood and started shooting randomly, which resulted in the deaths.
According to residents, among the dead is a man believed to have gang ties. Some of the victims were mothers who ran outside to shield their children when the shooting began but tragically ended up caught in the gunfire themselves.
Reiger Park Councillor Edith Klassen voiced serious concern over the escalating violence affecting her community. “There’s no guarantee that it’s going to stop. There’s no guarantee that this will be the end.”
Klassen remembered a separate shooting that occurred the year before, in which a family tragically lost their three sons. She noted that the police have yet to provide any updates or clarity on the progress of that investigation.
Nevhuhulwi, before the briefing, said investigations are underway and a manhunt has been launched for the suspects. “The Acting Provincial Commissioner has appealed to the community to allow law enforcement to do their job and work together with them by reporting any criminal activities on the Crime Stop Line at 08600 10111 or anonymously give tip-offs on MySapsApp,” says Nevhuhulwi.
Affected Families
Among the victims was a father who died shielding his toddler from gunfire. Harldene Naidoo, the child’s mother, spoke through tears. “I am heartbroken; at the same time, I am also proud of what he did. I know he didn’t do it for no reason; he had his reasons, and it was to save our child. She expressed that she was proud of him while also clarifying that he was not a gangster. Moreover, she described him as someone who was always happy, funny, and loved joking.
Community member Stephanie Minnaar expressed her frustration, saying authorities failed to conduct a thorough investigation despite having footage showing how the incident began. She insisted that justice must be served and warned that the community’s anger won’t fade easily. “I’m not happy, and I can’t even explain this. We are so angry.”
Briefing the media and residents on Sunday afternoon, Masemola said police would not allow such incidents to continue. “We came out here because we heard what had happened yesterday, and we say it cannot continue happening in this way.” According to Masemola, to calm the area and apprehend those connected to the fatal drive-by shooting over the weekend, police will continue to have a significant presence in the neighborhood.
Meanwhile, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi visited the community on Sunday, following Masemola’s meeting, assuring the community that justice will be served. He said authorities are working around the clock to solve the murders.
“The mission and the request are very simple: go and hunt those heartless people. We have no words to say; it’s our responsibility and our task to hunt them, and hunt them now. And justice must be served because we can’t allow this to happen. Die poppe sal dans,” he said.
About the Author
