Seven mourners gunned down in horror attack
Family wiped out while preparing to bury slain relative in village near Qunu
Residents of the small village of Tantseka, in the Sithebe administrative area, a stone’s throw from the Bumbane Great Place, are terrified after seven people were killed in a hail of bullets late on Wednesday.
The victims were reportedly in mourning, preparing to bury a relative who had been gunned down in the same household on Tuesday last week.
Eastern Cape police have appealed to community members to assist in trying to catch the killers.
A shocked acting provincial police commissioner Maj-gen Thandiswa Kupiso has directed that a team of policing units be assigned to investigate.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the shootings were understood to have happened shortly before midnight.
“Three unknown armed men forced their way into a homestead in Tantseka and opened fire,” she said.
“Six people succumbed to their injuries at the scene while a seventh victim died in hospital.”
She confirmed the victims had been arranging for the burial of Novotile Mgxada, 62, the wife of the owner of the homestead.
She was fatally shot last week.
When a Dispatch team visited the homestead, near Qunu, on Thursday morning, several women were crying uncontrollably.
They declined to be interviewed, saying they were too frightened.
Mgxada’s distraught husband, Mlamli Mgxada, said he was not present when the gunmen burst in, because he had fled his home after his wife’s killing last week.
In that attack, gunmen had arrived and demanded to see the man of the family.
His wife had lied and said he was not home.
They then opened fire and killed her, as well as seriously injuring the couple’s nineyear-old grandchild.
“This is just too painful. They wiped out my family.
“Andiyazi ndibethelwa ntoni [I don’t know why I’m being targeted],” he said.
“I don’t know what they want.
“I am a God-fearing man, I don’t drink alcohol and I don’t steal.
“I am just shattered.” Mgxada confirmed his wife was to have been buried on Saturday.
These plans would now be shelved after the mass murder of his family.
He identified the seven victims as his older brother’s wife, Notawuzile Fukuzana, 68, his own daughter Nokulunga Mgxada, 38, his youngest sister, Ntombelanga Mgxada, 42, his oldest sister, Nomasango Mkangeli, 79, Ntombelanga’s two sons, Phumzile Mgxada, 30, and Nkosinoxolo Mgxada, 29, and Nkosinoxolo’s friend Gcobani Gwaqubana, 29.
Mgxada said his eldest son and his wife, who were present at the time of the attack, had survived by fleeing.
He said the gunmen had reportedly demanded R50,000, which they believed had been given to the family by burial societies and stokvels in the village.
Members of the societies had met at his home earlier on the night of the attack.
“I don’t know what I will do now. It was a financial struggle to even prepare for my wife’s funeral.
“I had R15,000 for buying a cow for her funeral.
“That money is gone now — they [gunmen] took it.”
He said one of the seven victims had died not far from the Shell Ultra City garage along the N2 while being rushed to hospital. Police had not allowed him to view the bodies of his slain relatives.
Mgxada dispelled rumours that the hit on his family could have been linked to an antistock theft vigilante group, of which they were members.
He said they had joined the group so they could be helped when they fell foul of stock thieves.
OR Tambo district police commissioner Maj-gen Phumzile Cetyana visited the scene on Thursday.
One of Mgxada’s neighbours, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the entire village was frightened after the incident.
It was the third time someone had been killed in Tantseka recently.
He described Mgxada’s family as very peaceful.
“I am 72 and I have never witnessed something like this.”
Meanwhile, Abathembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo’s trusted right-hand man and traditional leader in Tantseka, Nkosi Thanduxolo Mtirara, said the royals were shocked at what had befallen Mgxada’s family.
The incident had left them distraught and deeply saddened.
“We don’t know what the motive is. We are not accustomed to these things.
“We often hear about them in other areas like Bityi and Mqhekezweni.”
Naidu said the investigation had been taken over by the provincial organised crime unit.
“Police are urging anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of suspects to contact the investigating officer, Colonel Mtshiyo, on 071475-2292.
“The information may also be shared via Crime Stop on 08600-10111.”