A horrifying mass shooting in a small Eastern Cape village has rocked the community, leaving 17 people dead and three critically injured. The victims, believed to be relatives and neighbors, were gunned down at a homestead in Nyathi village, Ngobozana, Lusikisiki, on a fateful Friday night.
The tragic incident took the lives of 15 women and two men, with 13 of the victims found in one house and four in another homestead. The group had gathered for a traditional ritual, umembulo or ukukhululwa kwezila, to mark the end of mourning for a mother and daughter murdered a year prior.
The survivors, fighting for their lives in the hospital, are in critical condition. The community is in shock, with activists and officials expressing devastation over the senseless violence that has disrupted the peace in Lusikisiki.
The authorities are conducting a full investigation, and a manhunt is underway to apprehend the perpetrators responsible for this heinous crime. The community mourns the loss of their loved ones and hopes for swift justice.