Soweto tavern manager ‘haunted’ by souls of 16 who died at the premises
Image: Phathu Luvhengo
Nyama Mdlalose briefly spoke to TimesLIVE when he was approached following the memorial service for the 16 victims on Thursday.
He said it was as if the souls of the patrons who were killed were haunting him when he struggled to fall asleep.
“During the night I don’t sleep. When others are sleeping I am wide awake. I am only able to sleep during the day. I can’t talk about it. I don’t have energy,” he said.
Mdlalose said he doesn’t believe the tavern was targeted but thinks it was a random crime.
Gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles ambushed patrons, spraying dozens of bullets in the tavern.
When police minister Bheki Cele visited the area on Monday, he told residents more than 130 cartridges were collected at the scene.
A total of 23 people were hit and 16 succumbed to their injuries.
Mdlalose indicated they never had a problem at the tavern and could not put a finger on why they were attacked.
“Nobody has ever fought with anyone here,” he said.
While he battles to come to terms with what unfolded, a sister of one victim, Daliwonga Mluma pleaded with authorities to hunt for the killers.
Mpumie Chirwa paid tribute to her brother at the memorial service held at the community sports ground a few metres from the tavern.
“What did they do to be shot like that?” she asked.
She said her second question was for government, adding Nomzamo residents had complained for a while about crime. She claimed nothing had been done.
“ How many have to die so residents of Nomzamo can be heard? We are killed while going to work and coming from work. My brother had a wife and kids. Who will they cry to?” she asked while struggling to hold back tears.
Many mourners said government should help community members to be safe.
About 200 people attended the memorial service held in a tent pitched on the sports ground. The service was led by the ANC in Johannesburg.
Some stood outside as the tent was filled to capacity. Inside, bereaved family members struggled to contain themselves.
Among those who attended the memorial service was Gauteng ANC provincial secretary Thembinkosi “TK” Nciza.
He said they have already started to help the grieving families.
He said government and other stakeholders had intervened to ensure the victims were buried in a dignified manner.
On Wednesday Gauteng community safety MEC Faith Mazibuko said while government was providing support to the families where it could, it was not assisting with the funerals and burials.
Nciza said most victims would be buried next week.
“Many of them are going to KwaZulu-Natal. There is one person we know will be buried in this area.”
She said others were headed to the Eastern Cape.
ANC delegates had visited several families in the area.
Nciza said it was everyone’s responsibility to come together to help the affected family members to bury their loved ones.
“It has nothing to do with the ANC. Citizens should learn to come together in a time of crisis. We must not gain cheap political points when people must be buried. We must come together and bury our people with dignity. That is what we stand for,” he said.
When asked about safety, he said there should be earnest recruitment of police and soldiers.
“If you have a serious crime which is so violent, use all your resources. We must avoid people taking the law into their hands. We have a lot of vigilantism into our country. We must avoid that.”
He said for crime to stop in the area it was time to go back to street committees and to speak to residents.
“I believe we must start engaging with our people, not only when there are elections but on a daily basis, not only when there is crisis but on a daily basis on how we work together,” Nciza said.