Mpumalanga – Police in Mpumalanga have launched a murder investigation after four people were shot dead and another critically injured in a mass shooting in Mkhuhlu township, Bushbuckridge.
The shooting took place on Wednesday night in the Calcutta policing precinct. Police have opened four murder cases, while the motive for the attack remains unknown.
Acting Mpumalanga Police Commissioner Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi said the victims were inside a vehicle when they were ambushed.
“Four people were declared dead at the scene, while one person was injured and taken to hospital, where he is in intensive care,” Mkhwanazi said.
He said two of the victims were known to the family and had just arrived home when the attack occurred.
“As they were parking at the gate, some people emerged and opened fire on them. The vehicle was shot several times. It appears that a rifle and a 9mm firearm were used,” he said.
Mkhwanazi confirmed that police had increased deployments in Mkhuhlu and surrounding areas to prevent further violence while investigations continue.
“We hope the community will come forward and assist us in making sure that we arrest those responsible,” he said.
Although several possible motives have been suggested, including taxi-related violence, Mkhwanazi said investigators had not established a clear motive.
“At this stage, we cannot say what the motive is. These incidents in Mkhuhlu and the broader Calcutta area are not happening for the first time, and we are working to get to the bottom of what is happening,” he said.
Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu said he was confident police would make a breakthrough in the case.
“We are ready to arrest the main culprit, and we believe that once that person is arrested, many of the problems affecting this area will be resolved,” Ndlovu said.
He urged residents to cooperate with police by providing information, assuring communities that law enforcement was committed to restoring safety.
“We will not hand over the government to criminals. We will not allow these areas to become a haven for criminals,” he said.
Ndlovu added that he had instructed the provincial police commissioner to report back within four days on progress made in the investigation.
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
