Five Zimbabweans Shot Dead At Tuckshop In South Africa, Victims Were Two Sets Of Siblings

Three of the five people shot dead by unknown gunmen outside a tuck shop in Jeffsville, Atteridgeville, Pretoria, South Africa, on Wednesday were brothers from Zimbabwe.

The three brothers were from the Moyo family, while the other two were siblings, also from Zimbabwe.

The sister to the three brothers, Thandi Moyo, said she last saw them leaving home on Wednesday morning, never imagining they would meet such a tragic fate.

The deceased – Shein Moyo, Shelton Moyo and Mike Nkala – were described as well-behaved young men who did not deserve such a cruel death.

Thandi Moyo said she broke down in tears after being called to identify her three brothers’ bodies. She said:

“I was on my way to a shop when I was told my siblings were among those shot dead. I felt so weak, I didn’t expect it. We tried to get answers, but people were too scared to talk.”

She said the family is still struggling to come to terms with the circumstances of the shooting. Said Moyo:

“We were told unknown people came and started shooting, then fled. We don’t know the motive; we’re still in shock.

“According to what I know, my brother didn’t have enemies. They are always in each other’s company.”

Moyo said the other two people who were killed were siblings from Zimbabwe and friends of the Moyo brothers.

Lucky Mncube, the uncle of the deceased, expressed shock and grief, saying they were hardworking young men who did odd jobs to make a living and were not involved in crime.

He added that the family is struggling to cover the cost of transporting the bodies to Zimbabwe for burial and made a desperate plea for help, saying it will cost at least R20,000 to send each body home.

The owner of the tuck shop where the shooting happened confirmed the incident, saying it occurred while he was serving a customer. He asked not to be named for security reasons. He said:

“I heard gunshots fired outside. And then I saw a body at the entrance, it was horrifying.

“The customer managed to storm out of the shop. I also fled and only returned when it was safe.”

Residents said they are living in fear following the shooting, with many unwilling to comment because they fear retaliation from the killers.

One resident said people are staying quiet because they are worried they might be speaking to someone connected to the attackers.

The Gauteng police have deployed resources to investigate the shooting, which took place in Jeffsville on Wednesday at around 13:15, according to SAPS provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni.

He confirmed that five people were shot outside a tuck shop at Block JV by unknown assailants, and that paramedics declared all the victims dead at the scene. Said Mthombeni:

“It reported that an unknown number of suspects approached the victims who were standing outside the tuck shop and shot at them without saying anything. The suspects then fled the scene.”

More: IOL