STRAND – The grieving community of Lwandle gathered on Monday (28 September) to mourn the victims of a mass shooting that claimed 10 lives and left 11 injured.

An emergency prayer meeting drew a crowd in front of KwaNdelu Shisa Nyama in Vulindlela Street, where gunmen opened fire on patrons at 01:46 on Sunday morning (27 September). The atmosphere was solemn as local pastors led prayers and hymns, calling for the area to be cleansed.

Ward 85 councillor Xolani Diniso attended the gathering, along with members of the local ANC branch, officers of Lwandle Police Station and the community policing forum (CPF). ANC branch secretary Phumla Mpotulo addressed the crowd and denounced what had occurred.
Mpotulo said it is a shame the Lwandle community was involved in such a terrible event. “But I want to assure our people that we are serving a living God and that He will reveal the perpetrators,” Mpotulo related.

She added that she heard the shots being fired from her bed before receiving the news. “It’s bad to lose such young lives to a tragedy like this. They were dancing and singing, and these thugs decided to cut their lives short,” she said.
Mpotulo hopes the incident will highlight the urgent need for more police and army deployment to Lwandle.

Sub-district CPF chairperson Marlon Solomons accompanied acting station commander Captain Ntikelelo Dada to the prayer meeting to offer their respects and condolences.

Among those grieving is Felicia Kholoswa (49) from Pholile Park, who agreed to speak about the devastating toll the shooting has taken on her family. Her stepchildren, Sipho (29) and Yonelani July (33), who call her mom, were wounded in the attack. Yonelani succumbed to multiple wounds sustained in the incident, while Sipho is recovering in hospital.

Kholoswa recalls awaking to her husband receiving a call with news of the shooting. She had returned home from work in Somerset West just after midnight and had gone to bed with her one-month-old grandchild.
“The person on the other end of the call informed my husband that there was a shooting and that the children were involved. He immediately rushed to the scene. Losing a child is tragic, but we are focusing on supporting Sipho, who is stable and we believe will make a recovery.”

Kholoswa described Yonelani as a good person, friendly and a nurturing, loving mother to her three young children. She will be sorely missed.
Funeral arrangements are being made for a burial in the Eastern Cape, in accordance with cultural tradition.

Fondly remembered

Another life lost in the same shooting was that of Tatenda Clavah, a beloved member of The Pizza Joint family in Somerset West from the day the restaurant opened. He was caught in the shooting and died in hospital from his injuries.

His colleagues at The Pizza Joint have rallied behind his family, launching a BackaBuddy campaign to help transport his remains to Zimbabwe for burial. Organised by Carla Beukman, the campaign has a goal of R65 000 and had raised just over R8 700 by lunchtime on Monday.
“Tatenda Clavah was part of The Pizza Joint family from the day it opened,” the campaign page reads. “To us, he was more than a colleague. He was a beloved member of our family and a big part of the community.”

Tatenda leaves behind his father, mother and sister, who wish to bring him home to Zimbabwe so he can be laid to rest there but need help covering the costs.
“If you are able to donate, any amount, big or small, would mean the world to his family. If you cannot donate, please consider sharing this story so it reaches someone who can,” the campaign appeal states. Donations can also be made in person at The Joint, where stock will be made available to go towards the family.
“We miss him deeply,” his colleagues wrote.

The BackaBuddy campaign can be found at backabuddy.co.za/campaign/clavahs-funeral.

A local pub also paid tribute to Sbusiso Ndlovu, another suspected victim of the shooting. A spokesperson expressed their collective sadness at the loss of Ndlovu, affectionately known as Bouncer Smooth. “He helped us out now and then over weekends. My husband saw him on Friday and chatted and joked with him. He was a good person.”

Wider toll

The Lwandle shooting was one of two separate shooting incidents over the weekend that left a total of 14 people dead and 11 injured.

In Khayelitsha, four men were killed in a shooting in Mthuma Street, Site C, on Saturday evening (26 September). Three victims were declared dead at the scene, while a fourth succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a medical facility.

Lwandle police have opened murder and attempted murder cases. Western Cape provincial police commissioner Lieutenent-General Sizakhele Dyantyi has established a multidisciplinary team led by Serious and Violent Crime detectives to investigate the attack. No arrests have been made yet, and the identities of all the deceased will be released once their next of kin have been informed.

The police have also increased deployments to the area while the search for the gunmen continues.
KwaNdelu Shisa Nyama issued a public statement, extending condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and apologising to the community.
“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that the KwaNdelu Shisanyama family extends our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of everyone who lost their lives in this tragic incident,” the statement read. “We humbly ask for forgiveness and sincerely apologise for the pain, grief and suffering experienced by the families, those who were injured, our employees and the wider community.”

The venue clarified that it is a food establishment that does not sell alcohol, with normal trading hours strictly until 22:00. On the night of the shooting, the premises remained active beyond those hours as part of a Heritage Day celebration, during which community members had gathered to commemorate the day together.
“We recognise that there are many questions surrounding the circumstances of this tragic incident. We do not wish to speculate on matters that are still under investigation and believe that the relevant authorities should be allowed to establish the facts,” the statement continued. “KwaNdelu Shisanyama will cooperate fully with the police and all relevant authorities, and will provide any information required as part of the investigation.
“To the families who have lost their loved ones, we are deeply sorry for your loss and humbly ask for your forgiveness. No words can adequately express the pain of losing someone in such circumstances. May those who lost their lives rest in peace, and may those who were injured receive strength and a full recovery.”

Western Cape minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais condemned the horrific loss of life.
“These are horrific acts of violence that have left communities traumatised. There can be no justification for the deliberate taking of so many lives, and my thoughts are with the families and loved ones of all those who have lost their lives,” said Marais.
“I welcome the strong investigative teams that SAPS has deployed to both incidents, and I urge them to leave no stone unturned in establishing exactly what happened, identifying those responsible and bringing them before the courts.
“Every person who had a hand in these attacks must be held accountable and prosecuted where the evidence supports it. Those who supply firearms to criminals, those who organise violent attacks and those who carry them out must understand that their actions will not be tolerated. Following the chain of responsibility is essential if we are to disrupt the networks that continue to put firearms into the hands of criminals.”

She said the circumstances of both incidents reinforce the urgent need for continued cooperation between SAPS and other law-enforcement and justice-sector stakeholders in addressing the circulation of illegal firearms and organised crime.
“I am particularly concerned about the devastating impact of these shootings on ordinary residents and families. We cannot allow communities to become accustomed to the sound of gunfire or accept mass shootings as an inevitable part of life. I therefore urge the investigating teams to conduct thorough investigations to ensure that the full chain behind these attacks is uncovered,” said Marais.

She also appealed to persons who may have witnessed either incident or who may have information that could assist the investigations to come forward.
“I encourage people to assist SAPS in their investigations and use the available anonymous reporting platforms if they are not comfortable approaching police directly.”

She urged residents to report criminal activity anonymously through the Crime Stop toll-free line on 08600 10111, the MySAPS mobile application, or the City of Cape Town anonymous tip-off line on 0800 110 077.