A young teacher from Ngqeleni and a 20-year-old high school pupil were gunned down outside a Mthatha nightclub at the weekend.
Mthatha police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela said the shooting took place shortly after 1am on Sunday outside So What Lounge in Southernwood. Both victims died on the scene.
Fatyela said eight spent cartridges fired from a 9mm pistol were found nearby.
The Dispatch was unable to establish the names of the two victims at the time of writing yesterday.
However, police revealed that the teacher, 25, was believed to be from Phangalele Junior Secondary School in Ngqeleni and the pupil from Zingisa Senior Secondary School near Mayden Farm.
Zingisa’s principal, who identified herself as Mtyumza, would neither comment yesterday nor release the name of the deceased pupil, saying she was not authorised to speak to the media.
“It is alleged that the two victims were shot by five armed men,” said Fatyela.
No arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
Fatyela said the two victims were with other patrons outside the premises when they were shot dead.
A Daily Dispatch team visited the scene yesterday morning and saw bloodstains near the fence of the premises.
A group of guards, employed by a private security company to guard several premises inside the factory-style yard, said they had only heard that people had been shot outside the club.
Fatyela said the motive for the attack was not known.
“We have opened cases of murder which we are investigating,” he added.
The owner of So What Lounge could not be reached for comment at the time of writing yesterday.
Eastern Cape education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani said the department was distraught at the loss of the teacher and pupil.
“It’s a huge blow,” he said while also expressing condolences to the families of the deceased.
He said it was now up to law enforcement agencies to play their role by finding the killers.
The two deaths come just a few days after police issued an appeal to members of the public to help them track down the killer of Kholisile Baleni, a deputy principal of Manqobe Junior Secondary School in Coffee Bay.
The Dispatch reported that the 49-year-old’s body was found riddled with bullets inside his minibus near Viedgesville.
Yesterday, South African Democratic Teachers’ Union provincial administrator Sindisile Zamisa said the union was deeply saddened at the latest attack.
He also called upon members of the public who might have seen the shooting outside the nightclub to come forward with information that may lead to the arrests of the killers. “It is painful to lose a human life whether through an accident or an unfortunate incident like this. We send our condolences to the family.”
Zamisa said the deaths would likely result in emotional trauma to those who were close to the teacher, including colleagues and pupils, saying it was up to the department to make sure they received proper counselling to deal with the shock.
Teacher and pupil shot dead outside Mthatha nightclub
Mthatha police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela said the shooting took place shortly after 1am on Sunday outside So What Lounge in Southernwood. Both victims died on the scene.
Fatyela said eight spent cartridges fired from a 9mm pistol were found nearby.
The Dispatch was unable to establish the names of the two victims at the time of writing yesterday.
However, police revealed that the teacher, 25, was believed to be from Phangalele Junior Secondary School in Ngqeleni and the pupil from Zingisa Senior Secondary School near Mayden Farm.
Zingisa’s principal, who identified herself as Mtyumza, would neither comment yesterday nor release the name of the deceased pupil, saying she was not authorised to speak to the media.
“It is alleged that the two victims were shot by five armed men,” said Fatyela.
No arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
Fatyela said the two victims were with other patrons outside the premises when they were shot dead.
A Daily Dispatch team visited the scene yesterday morning and saw bloodstains near the fence of the premises.
A group of guards, employed by a private security company to guard several premises inside the factory-style yard, said they had only heard that people had been shot outside the club.
Fatyela said the motive for the attack was not known.
“We have opened cases of murder which we are investigating,” he added.
The owner of So What Lounge could not be reached for comment at the time of writing yesterday.
Eastern Cape education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani said the department was distraught at the loss of the teacher and pupil.
“It’s a huge blow,” he said while also expressing condolences to the families of the deceased.
He said it was now up to law enforcement agencies to play their role by finding the killers.
The two deaths come just a few days after police issued an appeal to members of the public to help them track down the killer of Kholisile Baleni, a deputy principal of Manqobe Junior Secondary School in Coffee Bay.
The Dispatch reported that the 49-year-old’s body was found riddled with bullets inside his minibus near Viedgesville.
Yesterday, South African Democratic Teachers’ Union provincial administrator Sindisile Zamisa said the union was deeply saddened at the latest attack.
He also called upon members of the public who might have seen the shooting outside the nightclub to come forward with information that may lead to the arrests of the killers. “It is painful to lose a human life whether through an accident or an unfortunate incident like this. We send our condolences to the family.”
Zamisa said the deaths would likely result in emotional trauma to those who were close to the teacher, including colleagues and pupils, saying it was up to the department to make sure they received proper counselling to deal with the shock.
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