5 months ago
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Police minister Senzo Mchunu on Sunday vowed to clean Lusikisiki of criminals as he told mourners that three people have been arrested in connection with the mass killing of 18 people in the area and police are hot on the heels of a fourth suspect.
Mchunu was speaking during a joint memorial service honouring the 18 victims.
The Eastern Cape provincial government hosted the service at Lusikisiki College of Education on Sunday.
“We know the fourth person. [We] know his name and surname and where he stays. It’s just a matter of time before the police pounce on him... there are many more who are on police radar,” said Mchunu to applause.
He said Lusikisiki was soaked in blood and pain.
“People hearing the gunshots were still taking cover when the dust settled and 18 people had been killed. The heartless murderers killed them all,” Mchunu said.
“We are not only investigating this case but will go beyond that and investigate other unsolved cases. We have sent national police personnel to help in the investigation. We will soon clean Lusikisiki of criminals. If they do not surrender we will force them to,” said Mchunu.
Eastern Cape legislature chief whip Kholiswa Fihlani said: “We’ve had issues of Amavondo, the vampires, the high rapes making Lusikisiki the rape and murder capital, issues of gender-based violence and femicide and now we have the killing of 18 people, most of whom were women. Criminals should be dealt with harshly... they must be released to us so that we can have a nice chat with them. Such cases need to be dealt with like that,” said Fihlani.
David King, the chair of the victims’ family committee said: “Criminals have taken control. We must all be protected. We want the government not only to support us for the funeral,” he said.
Eastern Cape House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders Nkosi Mpumalanga Gwadiso and Mchunu said traditional leaders and all other stakeholders needed to unite to fight crime in Lusikisiki.
According to Sinqina family spokesperson, Monwabisi Sinqina, the two-month-old baby boy who miraculously survived the shooting remained in hospital.
The infant was found crying on his mother’s lifeless body, covered in her blood.
Monwabisi Sinqina and Lambasi traditional leader Nkosi Mthuthuzeli Mkweni confirmed that 11 victims would be buried on October 12 in KuDimfi village, Lambasi.
The Sinqina family will lay to rest nine relatives.
The Lambasi community will hold a mass funeral service after mourning burials at individual homesteads.
Mhatu family spokesperson, Nkosinathi Mhatu, said their relatives would be buried on October 12 in Xurhana village.
The families’ request for the government to erect tombstones for the victims was unsuccessful.
The community is still reeling from the aftermath, with both the Sinqina and Sinqina-Mhatu homesteads left abandoned.
Eastern Cape provincial government spokesperson Khuselwa Rantjie said government and local businesses, including funeral parlours, were teaming up to support the families and provide essential resources for the funerals, such as coffins, logistic services and groceries.
“After the memorial service, families will hold private funerals on separate dates, respecting their traditions and preferences,” she said.
