3 Women From 1 Family Killed in Lusikisiki After ‘Balaclava-Clad’ Gunman Storms Homestead

• Three relatives were gunned down in their home by an unknown assailant in the latest mass killing to rock Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape
• A lone gunman allegedly entered a homestead in Sitshayelo locality in the Zalu Administrative Area and shot the women inside
• The motive for the murders was not yet known and, with the suspect still at large, police asked for information from the community

Tshepiso Mametela is a seasoned journalist at Briefly News. A Head of Current Affairs, Mametela reported live from the presidential inauguration of Cyril Ramaphosa and has written articles on politics, crime, courts, accidents and other topics, including sports, at The Herald and Opera News SA, among others.

LUSIKISIKI — Lusikisiki has been rocked by another mass killing after three women were gunned down in their home in the Sitshayelo locality.

The incident is reminiscent of several others in the province, notably the murders of 18 people at Nyathi village, Ngobozana, in September 2024.

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3 Women killed in Lusikisiki

In a subsequent mass killing in Bityi on 18 October, gunmen stormed a homestead in the Ncenjana Location and opened fire on nine relatives.

Five people were killed and two children were injured. Numerous shootings targeting families or large groups of people have since followed.

In the latest, a balaclava-clad man allegedly entered a home and shot and killed the three female occupants inside on Thursday, 20 February 2025.

"The unknown man stormed into a house in the Zalu Administrative Area, where he found two women, and asked to see their relative, a 33-year-old woman," said police spokesperson Captain Welile Matyolo.

"When the woman's mother, 69, and sister, 44, attempted to intervene, the suspect shot them both shot. He then went to a bedroom in the house. Finding his intended [target], he shot her in the upper body several times."

In a statement posted to X, Matyolo said the motive for the brutal and senseless killings was not yet known while the suspect remains at large.

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He appealed to anyone with information to approach the police.

"[Informants] can anonymously contact Lusikisiki detectives, Colonel Siyabulela Kufa on 082 302 5118 and 083 427 9656, or Lt-Col Sizwe Sitsha on 082 442 2714 and (039) 253-1350. Information can also be shared via the Crime Stop hotline on 086 001 0111," added Matyolo.

OR Tambo Police District Commissioner Maj-Gen Norman Modishana condemned the senseless murders.

"We will not rest until the perpetrator is apprehended and brought to justice," said Modishana.

5 People found murdered in Gqeberha

In a related story, Briefly News reported that the bodies of five men were found inside a shack in New Brighton, Gqeberha, with gunshot wounds.

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said a probe was underway into the discovery in the Chris Hani informal settlement on 22 October.

"It is alleged that at about 9.30pm, police responded to a complaint of shooting and, on arrival, found five bodies with multiple gunshot wounds. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, and the deceased's names will be released after a formal identification process."

Source: Briefly News