Pretoria - Minister of Police Bheki Cele on Friday confirmed that seven suspects between the ages of 23 and 33 have been arrested in connection with the random shootings in Alexandra which left six people dead and four injured.
All suspects are South African nationals and they were arrested on Friday after being found in possession of firearms, cellphones and ammunition.
Cele said the shootings were motivated by the intent to commit robbery.
“The shootings are not connected with what happened last week in Soweto, Mamelodi or KZN, these boys were robbing people and they are all South African nationals.”
Cele was speaking after holding a meeting at Alexandra police station with Gauteng officials, including Gauteng Premier David Makhura and Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Sehlahle Fannie Masemola.
Earlier in a statement, Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said about four armed suspects went on to rob and shoot people in the area.
“It is reported that the suspects first met people travelling in a Toyota Etios, on Fourth Avenue and Selborne Street, and fired shots at them,” he said.
The second incident occurred at the corner of Eleventh Avenue and Boulevard Street, where the gunmen found two people sitting in a car charging their cellphones as there was no electricity in the area, due to load shedding.
Masondo said the gunmen robbed the victims of their cellphones before shooting them. Both victims were taken to medical facilities for treatment.
Initially, the random shootings left five people dead and five injured, however on Friday, Cele confirmed that one person has succumbed to his injuries, bringing the death toll to six.
Masemola said they would be deploying more police around Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
He disputed rumours that these shootings are organised crimes and are all connected.
“So far we are sure that its not organised crime ... As the minister said, these are local boys and there is nothing about foreigners invading the country.”
Masemola added that they have strong leads on suspects involved in the Soweto tavern shooting, and arrests would be made soon.
IOL