Two men were gunned down outside a popular East London nightclub early yesterday morning in a shooting police investigators believe could be related to fights between rival card cloning syndicates.
One victim – identified as 32-year-old Siyabonga Speelman – was shot in the head and face. His companion, Sinethemba Solomon, 31, suffered a fatal shot to the chest.
The men, both from Port Elizabeth, were believed to be looking for parking outside Bar Kulcha in Frere Road, Vincent, when the shooting took place.
They were seated in a hired white Hyundai i20 at the time.
Although they were taken to Frere Hospital, they were pronounced dead on arrival.
Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi said they were not clear on the motive behind the shooting, but an officer on the scene said he suspected the shooting involved a rival card cloning syndicate getting rid of its competition.
The incident took place at 1.20am yesterday as patrons of Bar Kulcha were celebrating a Ruff Music Party.
Eyewitness Mailo Maqhina said the shooting occurred in a poorly lit stretch of road as the two victims were looking for parking.
Maqhina was outside the nightclub selling loose cigarettes when he spotted a grey Avanza come to a stop.
Two men got out of the vehicle and approached the victims’ car.
“One guy with a gun went to the driver’s side and the other guy went to the passenger side. They shot simultaneously,” said Maqhina.
“After a few seconds the gunmen jumped into a white Nissan Micra, which pulled up and fled the scene down Frere Road in the direction of Southernwood.”
He said the Avanza also drove off.
The shooting comes just two months after University of Fort Hare business graduate Ludwe Zembe, 25, was shot dead outside Buccaneer’s Sports Pub and Grill on East London’s beachfront.
Bar Kulcha owner Xhasumzi Bacela said he was not aware if the victims had earlier been in the club or if they were just arriving.
“I came out at a time when everything had already happened. It is a regrettable occurrence, one that dampens the nightlife of East London,” Bacela said, shocked the incident had occurred outside his club.
Another eyewitness, Lungile Dubula, said he called police and an ambulance soon after the gunmen fled.
But when both took a while to respond, he moved Solomon – with bullet wounds in the head and face – into the back seat of the i20 and climbed into the driver’s seat.
“The guys were gasping while I was driving,” he said. “They could not talk and I tried to get them to hospital as fast as I could,” he said, adding they were both declared dead on arrival.
Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the bodies of the men would be released to their families once postmortems had been conducted.
Mbi said police were following up on a few leads.
“As of now no one has been arrested in connection with the shooting, but we have opened up two murder dockets and we are investigating the matter,” Mbi said.
Not long after the shooting was reported, members of the East London flying squad launched a search for the Avanza and Micra to no avail.
Crime scene investigators later scoured the site for spent cartridges and other clues while forensic experts took photographs.
“They closed the road and worked the scene for two hours,” Maqhina said.
Mbi said anyone with information on the matter could contact the investigating officer, Warrant Officer Vuyisile Njombolwana, on 0860-10111. All information will be treated as confidential. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Two shot dead in gang hit at club
One victim – identified as 32-year-old Siyabonga Speelman – was shot in the head and face. His companion, Sinethemba Solomon, 31, suffered a fatal shot to the chest.
The men, both from Port Elizabeth, were believed to be looking for parking outside Bar Kulcha in Frere Road, Vincent, when the shooting took place.
They were seated in a hired white Hyundai i20 at the time.
Although they were taken to Frere Hospital, they were pronounced dead on arrival.
Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi said they were not clear on the motive behind the shooting, but an officer on the scene said he suspected the shooting involved a rival card cloning syndicate getting rid of its competition.
The incident took place at 1.20am yesterday as patrons of Bar Kulcha were celebrating a Ruff Music Party.
Eyewitness Mailo Maqhina said the shooting occurred in a poorly lit stretch of road as the two victims were looking for parking.
Maqhina was outside the nightclub selling loose cigarettes when he spotted a grey Avanza come to a stop.
Two men got out of the vehicle and approached the victims’ car.
“One guy with a gun went to the driver’s side and the other guy went to the passenger side. They shot simultaneously,” said Maqhina.
“After a few seconds the gunmen jumped into a white Nissan Micra, which pulled up and fled the scene down Frere Road in the direction of Southernwood.”
He said the Avanza also drove off.
The shooting comes just two months after University of Fort Hare business graduate Ludwe Zembe, 25, was shot dead outside Buccaneer’s Sports Pub and Grill on East London’s beachfront.
Bar Kulcha owner Xhasumzi Bacela said he was not aware if the victims had earlier been in the club or if they were just arriving.
“I came out at a time when everything had already happened. It is a regrettable occurrence, one that dampens the nightlife of East London,” Bacela said, shocked the incident had occurred outside his club.
Another eyewitness, Lungile Dubula, said he called police and an ambulance soon after the gunmen fled.
But when both took a while to respond, he moved Solomon – with bullet wounds in the head and face – into the back seat of the i20 and climbed into the driver’s seat.
“The guys were gasping while I was driving,” he said. “They could not talk and I tried to get them to hospital as fast as I could,” he said, adding they were both declared dead on arrival.
Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the bodies of the men would be released to their families once postmortems had been conducted.
Mbi said police were following up on a few leads.
“As of now no one has been arrested in connection with the shooting, but we have opened up two murder dockets and we are investigating the matter,” Mbi said.
Not long after the shooting was reported, members of the East London flying squad launched a search for the Avanza and Micra to no avail.
Crime scene investigators later scoured the site for spent cartridges and other clues while forensic experts took photographs.
“They closed the road and worked the scene for two hours,” Maqhina said.
Mbi said anyone with information on the matter could contact the investigating officer, Warrant Officer Vuyisile Njombolwana, on 0860-10111. All information will be treated as confidential. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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