Pretoria – The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has dropped charges against six men accused of the mass shooting which left 16 people dead at Mdlalose Tavern in Nomzamo Park, Soweto.
The patrons were killed at Mdlalose Tavern in Orlando East, on 14 July 2022 after gunmen randomly opened fire on patrons and allegedly fled in a white Toyota Quantum.
In a statement on Monday, NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said it was concluded that there were no prospects of a successful prosecution.
“As requests for further investigation were not complied with due to witnesses fearing for their lives or witnesses subsequently losing their lives,” she said.
Mjonondwane added that two of the men, Lepolesa Moshoeshoe and Thembinkosi Kiviet would still be prosecuted for murder charges which are not related to the tavern killings.
Moshoeshoe faces attempted murder charges in a Doornkop docket registered in September 2021.
Kiviet faces a murder charge registered with at Orlando police station in April 2022.
In another similar incident, Tshwane police are on the hunt for a gunman who allegedly fired shots at patrons who were at a tavern in Soshanguve on Sunday.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the unsuspecting crowd was enjoying their beverages when the assailant entered the tavern and fired shots indiscriminately.
“The police were called to a shooting incident and upon arrival at the scene few people were found with gunshot wounds and were taken to the local clinic and hospital,” said Nevhuhulwi.
Fifteen people were injured from the shooting.
Nevhuhulwi said no arrests have been made and the motive of the shooting was still unknown.
IOL