Lusikisiki Shooting Victims Named As Police Minister Prepares To Visit Families

Lusikisiki Shooting Victims Named As Police Minister Prepares To Visit Families

  • The names of the 18 victims of the bloodbath at Nyathi Village in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape, have been made public
  • Gunmen stormed two homesteads in the same street and opened fire on the occupants amid ritual preparations
  • Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and senior officials will visit the area on Tuesday, 1 October, and offer support
Police Minister to visit Lusikisiki families after victims named
The 18 victims of the Lusikisiki shootings in the Eastern Cape at the weekend have been named amid a planned visit by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. Images: @_Senzo_Mchunu, SA Police Service
Source: UGC

LUSIKISIKI — The 18 people killed in a deadly mass shooting at Nyathi Village in the Ngobozana area, Eastern Cape, at the weekend have been named.

It comes after gunmen stormed two nearby homesteads amid preparations for a traditional family ritual.

Lusikisiki shooting victims named

Fifteen women and three men — after the latest succumbed in hospital on Sunday — died in the resultant shootings.

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15 Women, 2 men gunned down in Lusikisiki massacre

Most of the victims were related.

Police investigations continue while a manhunt for the killers is still underway. Since then, authorities have released the names of the deceased.

The 18 victims are:

  • Smomoza Sinqina, male, 14
  • Nonkanyiso Dukuza, female, 19
  • Ruth King, female, 21
  • Samantha Sinqina, female, 26
  • Thali Sinqina-King, female, 26
  • ⁠Dimpho Sinqina, female, 30
  • Nombuliso Dukuza, female, 32
  • Thobile Sinqina, male, 37
  • Themi Vimba, female, 41
  • Thandeka Mhlaluvele, female, 46
  • Lungiswa Gawulekana, female, 51
  • Mandisa Dlokweni, female, 59
  • Nobelungu France, female, 59
  • Sigobodo Gxobela, male, 59
  • Nomazwi Ndleleni, female, 59
  • Nancy Sinqina, female, 59
  • Mary Sinqina, female, 63
  • Mathembisile Sinqina-Mayekiso, female, 64

Police said a further two victims were still in hospital for treatment.

"The motive for the shooting is still unclear and forms part of the investigation," said Eastern Cape police spokesperson Lt-Col Siphokazi Mawisa.

Minister to offer condolences

Meanwhile, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, his deputies Cassel Mathale and Polly Boshielo, and National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola will visit the victims' families on Tuesday, 1 October.

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Ministerial spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi said the department would offer the bereaved families condolences and support the affected communities.

"After the visit, the ministry and the National Commissioner will address the devastating incident with the community and provide information on the measures to ensure their safety and bring the perpetrators to justice," said Mogotsi.

The visits to families take place at 10:00 before the community address is held at the Lusikisiki Police Station at 13:00.

Mkhwanazi, Ntuli visit victims' family

In another tragedy, Briefly News reported that the police's top brass and senior government officials visited the homes of the family that lost seven relatives in a massacre in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.

Unidentified suspects had reportedly entered the house of a family of seven and gunned down the occupants, including three children, the youngest being four.

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Tshepiso Mametela avatar

Tshepiso Mametela Tshepiso Mametela is a seasoned journalist with eight years of experience writing for online and print publications. He is an evening/weekend editor at Briefly News. He was a general news reporter for The Herald, a senior sports contributor at Opera News SA, and a reporter for Caxton Local Media’s Bedfordview and Edenvale News and Joburg East Express community titles. He has attended media workshops, including the crime and court reporting one by the Wits Justice Project and Wits Centre for Journalism in 2024. He was a member of the Forum of Community Journalists (FCJ) from 2018 to 2020.