Mayhem at punani hot spot

SCORES of horny men went to the popular Mavuso Stokvel on Monday night looking to shoot the breeze with willing women before taking home their wares for a price.

But what followed was a dramatic shooting battle, in which one person suffered a gunshot wound, while many others were injured by flying bottles and from trying to jump over a wall with palisade spikes.

The gun battle unfolded during the stokvel’s weekly gathering, held at Ya Mampela butchery and tavern in Lephengville village, Tshwane North.

Yesterday, neighbours claimed one of the people injured during the early-morning fracas died from his wounds after being admitted to ICU at the George Mukhari Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa.

But local police could not confirm the information about the death, saying only two people were injured from the Mavuso war, according to their records.

Two people were injured, one was shot in the upper arm [complainant] and his friend was assaulted with a beer bottle by the suspect, said Temba police spokesman Stephen Maluleke.

A case of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm has been opened by the friend. So far, it is unknown if they are still at hospital.

Maluleke said police recovered one gun.

One unlicensed firearm was recovered and handed to police, and it has not been established as to who its rightful owner is.”

He said no one had been arrested for the shooting.

The man who was shot in the arm and opened a case said he had disarmed the shooter and handed the gun to the police.

Monk Mabusela, attending the stokvel as the guest of its chairman Alton Rick Ross” Ngobeni, said the incident took place just before 2am on Tuesday.

We were attending the Mavuso Stokvel, together with my friends... At the time, I was inside the building. I heard gun shots and went outside to look,” Mabusela said.

I saw a guy pointing a firearm at [censored] People were running around. I then grabbed the man who was pointing the firearm at [censored] and we fought for the firearm. He shot me, but I managed to disarm him. I was shot by an old man unknown to me.”

Ngobeni, popularly known as Rick Ross for his resemblance to the American hip-hop artist, said the fight started after two thugs mugged some female patrons of their cellphones and cash.

The girls came running inside and told us they were robbed. We went outside and they showed us the two boys. We disciplined them because we don’t want crime at our stokvel. The safety of our customers comes first. That is why we even handed the gun over to the police,” Ngobeni said.

These boys then ran home to call for back up’. They came back with other people and started shooting randomly. People were injured; others tried to jump over the fence, which is very sharp.

I was hit on the head with a bottle, but fortunately, it did not cut me. One of our members was hit on the head with two bottles and was bleeding badly.

We took Monk to the hospital and were told he was fortunate that the bullet only went through the flesh and missed his bone.”

Ngobeni said they were disappointed with the behaviour of the men who started the ruckus, as there were never fights at their Monday gatherings.

He said they were also let down as the host for the day was the newest member of their 52-strong membership.

Usman Arif, a Pakistani known as Kaka around Hammanskraal where he owns a number of spaza shops and taverns, said he was confused when the fight started.

I understand it was two guys who started this. I was inside the shop when I heard gun shots,” Arif said. Bottles flew all over the place and one guy was hit on the head.”

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