Eastern Cape Mass Shooting Claims 18 Lives, Majority Women and Children
A tragic mass shooting in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape, has left South Africa in shock as the death toll from the Friday night attack on September 27 rises to 18. The victims, mostly women and children, included a 14-year-old boy, with police still searching for the perpetrators responsible for the brutal massacre.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has released the names of the victims, revealing the devastating toll this attack has taken on the community. The youngest, 14-year-old Smomoza Sinqina, was among the 13 victims found in one house, which included 12 women and one man. In another nearby homestead, four more individuals were killed. Tragically, the 18th victim succumbed to injuries in hospital on Sunday.
By Monday, police confirmed that investigations were ongoing, but no arrests had been made. SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Atlenda Mathe stated that seasoned forensic detectives were leading the case. However, the motive for the attack remains unclear. Eastern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa echoed these sentiments, adding that two survivors were still receiving treatment in the hospital.
In response to the incident, senior SAPS officials, including Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, Deputy Police Minister Cassel Mathale, and National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, descended on Lusikisiki. Their presence highlights the gravity of the situation as the investigation intensifies to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The identities of the victims reflect the deep loss felt within this close-knit community. Nonkanyiso Dukuza, 19; Ruth King, 21; Mandisa Dlokweni, 59; Samantha Sinqina, 26; Lungiswa Gawulekana, 51; Thandeka Mhlaluvele, 46; Mary Sinqina, 63; Nombuliso Dukuza, 32; Mathembisile Mayekiso/Sinqina, 64; Nobelungu France, 59; Themi Vimba, 41; Nomazwi Ndleleni, 59; Nancy Sinqina, 59; Dimpho Sinqina, 30; and Thali King Sinqina, 26 were among the women victims. The three men who died were Thobile Sinqina, 37; Smomoza Sinqina, 14; and 59-year-old Sigobodo Gxobela.
In the wake of this tragedy, President Cyril Ramaphosa extended his heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families, offering the nation’s sympathies while stressing that justice would be pursued. “I feel deeply for all the families and members of the broader community affected by this attack, and on behalf of all of us as South Africans, I offer you our deepest sympathies,” he said.
Ramaphosa expressed sadness at the incident, stating that the SAPS had mobilized all necessary resources to ensure the killers were brought to justice. “While we are united in our grief, we are also united in our outrage and condemnation of this excessive criminal assault, which will not go unpunished,” he added.
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