Johannesburg - New Year's Eve celebrations were marred by the deaths of three people in separate incidents. More than 100 incidents of assault were reported.
Joburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) on Tuesday said two deaths occurred in Hillbrow, while the other happened at the City of Joburg’s New Year’s Eve Countdown Concert held at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown.
“The City of Joburg and its stakeholders, including the SAPS, private security, Joburg metro police department, disaster management and EMS learnt with shock of an incident that happened at the New Year’s Eve Countdown Concert just after midnight.
“After an incident was reported, the body of a man aged between 25 and 30 was discovered at around 1am. A private medical company on arrival confirmed that he had died. The deceased’s next of kin have not been identified,” said EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi.
He added that in another incident, a hotel owner had been shot dead at around 10pm.
“He was declared dead at the scene. And in a separate incident, a man fell from the sixth floor of a building. We don’t know the details of why he fell.”
Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele said they were investigating two cases of murder, and that an inquest would be held.
Mulaudzi said EMS personnel responded to more than 100 incidents of assault over the past few days.
“Most of these involved drunk people, but there were no fatalities. We also responded to four fire incidents. There were no injuries or fatalities.
“We did not receive any reports of the misuse of firearms, and are happy about that.
“We attribute the success to our by-law operation that ran from December27,” Mulaudzi said.
Makhubele said the streets were generally quiet on New Year’s Eve, adding that the rain that swept through parts of the province had contributed to the quietness.
“We were also driving around to ensure police visibility and to enforce the law,” Makhubele said.
Hillbrow residents have, over the years, been known for celebrating New Year by tossing furniture out of buildings, sometimes injuring people walking on the streets below.
“We worked very closely with liquor outlet owners in the area, who closed at 6pm. There were no people drinking on the streets,” Makhubele said.
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