The survivors of the Mdlalose tavern's mass shooting in Nomzamo informal settlement in Soweto are relieved that the identities of the five men believed to have been behind the shooting have been released, but they believe they will only get closure once the suspects explain their actions in court.
This week police released the identities of the men who are believed to be behind the shooting that left 16 people dead and several others injured at the Soweto tavern in July. The wanted men are believed to be all from Lesotho and they are Sarel “Lehlanya” Sello, Tshepiso Elliot Radebe, Thabang Radikatara, Tshidiso Moleko and Keletso Rabasotho. All the men have left the country and are in Lesotho.
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Sello is a leader of a Lesotho group called Terene ya Kgosi Mokata that is said to be linked to the zama zamas and enjoys the support of the ruling party in the mountain kingdom.
Sibonelo Chonco, who miraculously survived the shooting without a scratch, said the progress on investigations is good news.
“But I cannot get peace until those people are arrested. For police to know who they are is good but I will only be satisfied when government says 'here they are, we have captured them’. I want to see their trial and get answers as to why did they do such a thing to us.
“They say the arm of the law is long, it must reach them and get them to explain why they did what they did. They did not speak to anyone or had a disagreement, they simply opened fire,” Chonco said.
Chonco said the trauma of what happened that day is still fresh in his mind.
“What I saw that day is stuck in my memory. I sometimes sit alone and think about the shooting and it makes me cry,” Chonco said.
Chonco had just walked into the tavern when the gunmen entered and open fire on everyone. But none of assailants turned the gun on him.
Sowetan revealed this week that Terene leadership in Gauteng, which included Sello, met police minister Bheki Cele at OR Tambo International Airport weeks after the incident. The group allegedly wanted to meet with Cele to discuss the Mdlalose tavern massacre and other recent crimes where Basotho nationals and zama zamas were believed to have been the perpetrators on SA soil.
Nqubeko Buco, who survived the attack, said he was also happy that there is progress in finding the attackers.
“I will be happy when they are captured and go to court and not released. I still want to know from them what is the problem that they had with that place and who sent them,” Buco said.
“I do not believe that they will be caught when they are already in Lesotho. When they are in their home country, they will do anything to ensure that they are not caught.”
dlaminip@sowetan.co.za
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