Gauteng police have intensified the investigation into the deadly Wedela tavern shooting after the death toll rose to 18, with a multidisciplinary team now tasked with tracking down the eight armed suspects.
The latest victim died in hospital, a day after eight unidentified gunmen allegedly opened fire on patrons at a tavern in Extension 3, Wedela, in the West Rand.
Gauteng Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni has established a dedicated multidisciplinary team comprising experienced murder and robbery detectives, Crime Intelligence and Crime Scene Investigation members.
The team is led by a senior brigadier responsible for Crime Investigation Services in Gauteng.
The charges have also been updated to 18 counts of murder, 18 counts of attempted murder, two counts of malicious damage to property and armed robbery.
Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said investigators were working around the clock to identify and apprehend those responsible.
“The multidisciplinary team has been mobilised to ensure that all available resources are brought together to trace the perpetrators and establish exactly what happened,” Muridili said.
Police said only four of the deceased have so far been identified. Two are South African nationals, and two are nationals of Lesotho.
All the injured victims who remain in hospital have been identified.
According to information provided to police, five of the injured victims were shot in the upper body and are critically wounded. The remaining injured victims are reported to be in a stable condition.
The shooting happened at about 9.30 pm on Saturday, 26 September, when patrons were drinking inside and outside the tavern.
Police said the suspects were armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols. They allegedly opened fire on people outside before entering the tavern and continuing to shoot patrons inside.
The gunmen allegedly searched some patrons and took their cellphones before fleeing in two unidentified vehicles. Two vehicles were also set alight.
Before Monday’s update, African Times reported that 17 people had been killed and 15 wounded in the attack.
The human impact of the attack has also emerged through accounts from people who survived the shooting.
One survivor escaped death by lying on the floor and pretending to be dead while the gunmen were shooting. The survivor also lost his best friend during the attack.
The shooting has left families and friends searching for answers as police continue working to establish the motive and circumstances surrounding the attack.
Deputy Gauteng Police Commissioner Fred Kekana said investigators were examining whether the shooting could be linked to an earlier shooting at the same tavern.
Kekana said one of those killed was allegedly a person police had been looking for in connection with the earlier incident. He said investigators were therefore considering whether the latest attack could have been retaliation by another group.
Police have not confirmed a final motive.
Meanwhile, Operation Prosper has been brought into the intensified policing operation in Wedela and surrounding areas.
The operation includes the South African National Defence Force and specialised SAPS units such as the Tactical Response Team and Public Order Policing.
The operational matrix is being updated as police increase deployments in the area.
No arrests have been made at this stage.
Police are appealing to anyone with information that could help identify or locate the suspects to come forward. Investigators are continuing with the processing of evidence and efforts to trace the alleged perpetrators.
The attack has renewed concerns in the West Rand following previous violence in the area. SABC News reported on Sunday that police were also investigating whether the latest shooting was connected to an earlier incident at the same tavern.
