Appear in court this morning after arrest
STRAND, South Africa:- A 32-year-old man is due to appear in the Strand Magistrates’ Court on Monday in connection with a mass shooting at a shisanyama in Lwandle that left 11 people dead and 10 injured.
The suspect was arrested on Friday during a tracing operation by investigators at an address in Lwandle. He faces 11 counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder, three further murder charges linked to a separate incident, and charges of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Police said the mass shooting took place in the early hours of Sunday, 27 September, at about 01:15 at Kwandelo Shisanyama. Three unidentified gunmen allegedly opened fire on patrons, killing 11 and wounding 10 others. During the arrest officers recovered a Norinco firearm and six cartridges. The weapon and ammunition have been seized for forensic analysis. Preliminary investigations indicate the firearm belonged to a deceased person and had not been reported stolen or robbed.
Ballistic tests are under way to establish whether it was used in the Lwandle attack or other crimes. Detectives have also linked the suspect to a triple murder in Lwandle in July. In that incident, three people were shot and killed while playing music in vehicles in the street after two men arrived and opened fire before fleeing.
Investigations into both cases continue, with police still seeking to determine the possible involvement of other suspects. Western Cape police management welcomed the arrest and praised the investigation team for its work in bringing those responsible for the violence to justice.
Authorities said they remain committed to following all available leads.
