“There’s no peace in this community,” relatives of Daveyton tavern shooting victims speak out

The families of victims of the past weekend’s shooting in Daveyton, in Ekurhuleni, have described the horror of trying to come to terms with the mass killing.

Six men lost their lives in a drive-by shooting at a tavern in the township on Saturday.

So far, local police aren’t divulging much about the crime, but say investigations into the massacre are ongoing.

Residents on the other hand believe that the incident is linked to illegal mining.

YNews spoke with one young woman, whose uncle and cousin are among the six deceased.

She’s described the jolly atmosphere in the neighbourhood on Saturday as residents gathered to watch the Chiefs game.

The Daveyton resident says gunshots erupted from the local tavern in the early afternoon, as if out of nowhere.

She says she found only one of her relatives responsive, with their T-shirts stained red from the gunshot wounds.

Like the police, members of the Daveyton Community Policing Forum have also kept mum on investigations into the killings.

They’ve called for the community’s participation as officials work to get to the bottom of the tragic incident.

In recent years, illegal mining has become rampant in the community with law enforcement struggling to clamp down on the illicit activity.

Many residents were reluctant to speak with YNews on the record, for fear of being targeted by the feuding zama zamas.

Residents say the turf wars have brought their community to its knees, adding that they have lost hope that peace will ever be restored in the township. Article by Naomi Kobbie