The government’s approach to illicit mining and violent crime has been criticized by ActionSA president Herman Mashaba in the aftermath of the tragic bar shooting in Carletonville, which left 17 people dead and 15 more wounded.
Mashaba, in a statement in response to the killings, blamed the government’s inaction on illegal immigrants he said were engaged in mining activities on the West Rand for the bloodshed.
“The government’s failure to act decisively against illegal immigrants involved in illegal mining across the West Rand” led to this tragic outcome, according to Mashaba.
His main point was that the government had ignored the many times locals had voiced their worries about zama zamas and the damage they may do to neighborhoods.
According to Mashaba, the government should intervene to safeguard neighborhoods hit hard by violent crime only after a certain number of lives are lost.
Following Saturday night’s shooting at a pub in Wedela Extension 3, the remarks were made. The police have said that eight masked individuals reportedly began firing shots at customers both inside and outside the bar. According to reports, the perpetrators snatched smartphones and fled in two cars brandishing AK-47 guns and pistols.
Fifteen persons were wounded by gunshots and sent to hospitals; seventeen individuals, including thirteen males and four females, were murdered. There have been 17 homicide charges, 15 attempted homicide cases, and 2 counts of intentional property damage filed by the police.
The attack’s motivation remains unknown, according to the police. Police in Gauteng are looking into robbery as a potential motivation, but Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, the commissioner, said that zama-zama turf disputes were also a possibility.
Police are still looking for the perpetrators of the shooting and trying to figure out what set the stage for the tragic incident, so Mashaba’s remarks come at a strange time.
There has been no proof tying the shooting to illicit mining, and the police investigation is still underway.
