LUSIKISIKI – The Eastern Cape is gripped by the aftermath of a horrific mass shooting that claimed 18 lives in Ngobozana Village on 28 September.
While one suspect, Siphosoxolo Myekethe, 45, has been arrested and charged, police are now intensifying their search for four additional individuals believed to be connected to the massacre.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has issued an urgent appeal to the public for assistance in locating these four suspects. National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, confirmed that preliminary investigations have led police to believe these individuals can provide crucial information in solving the case.
"Police investigations are at an advanced stage and tracing operations are under way for the four. The South African Police Service is requesting the public for urgent assistance in tracing the four, possibly linked to the Lusikisiki mass murder," she stated.
The wanted individuals are identified as: Songezo "Mashiya" Vuma, 20; Bonga "Rico" Hintsa, 31; Aphiwe "AP" Ndende, 25; and Lwando Anthony Abi, also known as "Shakes", 31. Brigadier Mathe cautioned the public against attempting to apprehend the suspects themselves, warning that they are considered dangerous.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of these individuals is urged to contact the SAPS organised crime unit or the Serious and Violent Crimes Investigation team on 082 302 7762. All information provided will be treated with strict confidentiality, and callers can remain anonymous.
Meanwhile, the case against Siphosoxolo Myekethe, already facing 18 counts of murder and one count of possession of an unlicensed AK-47 assault rifle, took a significant turn in the Lusikisiki Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
Myekethe, a parolee with previous convictions for escaping lawful custody and murder (including the killing of a police officer during a robbery in 2000), abandoned his bail application. His case has been remanded to 26 November.
The brutal attack on 28 September saw 18 people shot dead and five others injured at two homesteads in Ngobozana Village. The sheer scale of the violence has shocked the community and the nation, prompting an intense police investigation
