The Strand community held a memorial service for the 10 victims that were killed at a shisanyama last weekend.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, 27 September, gunmen opened fire on patrons at a shisanyama in Lwandle, near Cape Town, killing ten people. “Five individuals died on the scene while five others succumbed to injuries sustained after being transported to medical facilities. Eleven others are receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained. Lwandle police have opened murder and attempted murder cases,” said the police. The community believes the mass shooting is related to the extortion racket that is ravaging Cape Town townships.
One of the victims, Khululekani Ndlovu, will be laid to rest this weekend. The nine other people killed will be buried next weekend in the Eastern Cape. The Nomzamo Community Hall in Strand, south east of Cape Town, was packed with mourners and members of political parties for the memorial service.
Speaking to Elitsha, the chairperson of the police board in South Africa, Francina Lukas, said that extortion and business rivalry and lack of opportunities for young people are some of the factors contributing to high crime rates in the townships of Cape Town. She said that the lack of trust the community has in the police contributes to high crime rate.
“The police need to do much more than what they are doing in terms of compliance to make sure that businesses in the township comply with their licenses and bylaws. But the issue of trust is still a burning issue in our communities. So we need to overcome that issue to see that trust in the police is restored,” she said.
Families of the Strand 10
Speaking on behalf of the Sikweza family who lost their daughter, Avuyile, her uncle, Luyanda Macokeni, said she had plans to return to school next year. The 20-year-old passed her matric in 2024. She applied to continue her education next year and had just received responses from two universities offering her a place to study. She was expected to make a choice between the two. “Avuyile is supposed to the one burying us as elders but we are the ones burying her. It’s not God’s will that we are here today, it is because of someone’s will,” he said.
Siyathemba Jilaji was one of the victims who died on his way to the hospital, according to his friend. “He said he was going to change in the car so when the shooting began, I thought he was still in the car. A bullet grazed me under my arm. After the shooting, I went to the car to check for him. But, I didn’t know that he was amongst the bodies that were lying next to the entrance that I ran past,” she said.
Sivenathi Manxiwa’s father, Lubabalo Ndamane, said that he is not going to forgive the person who murdered his son. “I also don’t want to know who they are. Even if they can be arrested, I would not go to court. I leave everything to God and God will deal with him. I want to know what drove him to shoot at the young people who were out enjoying themselves,” he said.
The police said that the investigation into the mass murder is still ongoing.
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