Katlehong tavern patrons fear shooters may come back

The community of Katlehong where three unidentified gunmen opened fire on patrons at the Mputlane Inn tavern, killing two, is still shaken.

One resident who lives a few metres away from the establishment said even though he doesn't drink alcohol, he was a regular at the tavern. 

Thando Tshabalala, 40, said the neighbourhood was safe but what had occurred had shocked everyone.

“Fortunately, I wasn't at the tavern on the night of the incident. I usually come here and I have never seen things like that or even a fight happening,” he told TimesLIVE.

Tshabalala said since the night of the shooting, residents no longer feel safe. 

“I don't feel safe, sometimes it feels like those people are coming back,” he added. 

The Katlehong shooting was one of three at taverns over the weekend — one taking place in Soweto and another in Pietermaritzburg. At least twenty-one people were left dead in the shootings with several others injured. 

The owner of the Katlehong  tavern was on Wednesday still agonising over the incident.

She was not sure when she would reopen her business again.

Margaret Motaung, who was sitting in the sun in her yard where she operates the tavern, was reeling in shock and struggling to comprehend the tragic events of Friday evening.

She said she had been operating her tavern for more than 20 years and had never experienced an incident like this before.

“For years and years, this is the first time we encountered an incident like this, we are scared,” she said.

.

“There are no criminals who come here and attempt to attack or rob anyone. Even now they were not here to rob people. They didn't search anyone. They didn't want money or any cellphones from anyone. They came here, shot and after that they left,” she said.

She described her customers as middle-aged people who stayed in the area.

Arguments did sometimes occur when patrons were drunk but they were quickly quelled and things would return to normal.

“It has never turned violent in such a way that it could escalate beyond that,” she said.

Motaung said she has since stopped selling alcohol and doesn't know when she will reopen her establishment.

The MEC of community safety Faith Mazibuko visited the area on Wednesday and conducted a crime summit in Vosloorus.

She said the summit was meant to build communities.

“Yes we are concerned in Gauteng that we see these criminal activities happening and we hope that we will work together with the shebeen and tavern owners in ensuring that we put in some safety measures.”

Mazibuko said the Gauteng provincial government has provided support to the families of the victims from the Soweto shooting.

The provincial departments were offering services to people to help them cope.

“We are also engaging the department of roads and transport to talk to taxi industries because some of them [families] have to travel to go to their respective provinces and do not necessarily have money to pay for transport.

“They will be able to assist them to go home and bury their loved ones. We are not offering any financial support at all. We offer the help whatever within our means as the provincial government,” she said.

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.