Melville shooter's BMW had cloned plates, owner not in Melville on New Year's Eve

The registration plates on the vehicle used in the Melville shooting were cloned, acting Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi said on Friday.

In addition, the owner of the BMW SUV was not near Melville when the incident happened.

Lesufi made these revelations during a visit to four patients from the Melville shooting who are being treated at Helen Joseph hospital.

Police are still searching for the shooter.

“They have assembled a strong team of investigators to crack this case,” Lesufi said.

One patient remains in ICU in a critical condition. According to Lesufi, the male patient was shot in the head.

Lesufi extended appreciation for the outpouring of support received from all South Africans, adding it was heartwarming to see a united face of SA that was shown during the night vigil held at Poppy's restaurant in Melville on Thursday night.

Lesufi, accompanied during the hospital visit by MEC for health Bandile Masuku and MEC for community safety Faith Mazibuko, expressed shock after the shootings in Melville as well as at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, Johannesburg, over New Year's Eve.

He said preliminary police investigations did not link the shootings.

“We are touched and worried about medical reports that we received from our hospitals regarding treatments they made from December 23 till yesterday. This is really a worrying point,” Lesufi said.