3 Zimbabweans shot dead in South Africa

The Moyo family from Zimbabwe is struggling to come to terms with the devastating news of the deaths of their three sons, who were among five people shot dead by unknown gunmen outside a tuck shop in Jeffsville, Atteridgeville on Wednesday.

Thandi Moyo, the sister of three brothers gunned down in Jeffsville said she last saw them leaving home on Wednesday morning, never imagining they would meet such a tragic end. 

The deceased Shein Moyo, Shelton Moyo, and Mike Nkala were described as well-behaved children who did not deserve to die in such a cruel manner.

Moyo said she broke down in tears after being called to identify the bodies of her three brothers. 

"I was on my way to a shop when I was told my siblings were among those shot dead. I felt so weak, I didn't expect it. We tried to get answers, but people were too scared to talk," she said.

She said the family is still grappling with the circumstances surrounding the shooting. 

"We were told unknown people came and started shooting, then fled. We don't know the motive, we're still in shock," she said.

She expressed her anguish, saying the family is left wondering who committed the crime and what motivated the attackers, as they struggle to come to terms with the loss of their sons.

"According to what I know my brother didn't have enemies. They are always in each other's company,"  Moyo said.

She said the other two deceased were siblings from Zimbabwe and friends of the Moyo brothers.

Lucky Mncube, uncle to the deceased, expressed shock and grief over their deaths, saying they were hardworking young men who did piece-jobs to make a living and were not involved in crime. "It's devastating, hard to believe. What is painful is that their mother back home is also seeking answers from us and we don't know what to tell her because we are also in the dark," he said.

He said the family is struggling to afford the cost of transporting the bodies to Zimbabwe for burial.

Mncube made a desperate plea for assistance, saying it will cost at least R20,000 to transport each body back home. 

"Each one will have to be transported separately because the law does not allow us to transport two bodies in one hearse.  We don't have that money," he said.

The owner of the tuck shop where the shooting occurred confirmed the incident, stating it happened while he was serving a customer. He declined to be named, citing security concerns.

"I heard gunshots fired outside. And then I saw a body at the entrance, it was horrifying. The customer managed to storm out of the shop. I also fled and only returned when it was safe," he said. 

Residents said they are living in fear following the shooting, with many refusing to comment on the incident, fearing retaliation from the killers. "It's not safe to speak out, we don't know if they will come back for us too," one resident said anonymously.

One said people are keeping quiet about the shooting because they are scared they might be talking to someone connected to the perpetrators. "We don't know who we're talking to, so it's best to keep quiet," a resident said.

The police in Gauteng have mobilised resources to investigate a shooting incident that occurred in Jeffsville on Wednesday at around 13:15, according to SAPS provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni.

He confirmed that five people were shot outside a tuck shop at Block JV by unknown assailants and the victims were declared dead at the scene by paramedics.

"It reported that unknown number suspects approached the victims who were standing outside the tuck shop and shot at them without saying anything. The suspects then fled the scene," he said.

A case of five counts of murder has been registered following the shooting incident and investigators will be looking into the motive behind the attack.

The recent shooting comes just a month after a devastating mass shooting in Saulsville, Atteridgeville, that claimed 12 lives and left 14 others wounded.