Police Minister Bheki Cele on Friday confirmed that seven suspects aged between 23 and 33 have been arrested in connection with the shooting in Alexandra that left six people dead and four others injured.
The arrest of the seven suspects came after Gauteng Premier David Makhura assured that the alleged killers would be arrested. All the suspects are South African citizens, and they were arrested on Friday after they were found in possession of firearms, 10 cellphones and ammunition.
Cele said the motive for the shooting was the intent to commit robbery and the police will investigate if the cellphones which were found belong to the victims.
“Upon investigation, I discovered that police responded about two-and-half hours late to the incidents. We will have to engage with the management of the police station to see if there could be better co-ordination,” Cele said.
“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.”
Alex FM manager Joshua Mbatha was among the five people who were killed on Thursday night after he and his colleagues were accosted by the gunmen as they were making their way home. Their cellphones and shoes were taken from them before Mbatha was shot in the chest after allegedly recognising one of the suspects. Mbatha died at Masakhane Clinic at around 9pm.
“Initially five people were reported to be dead. The sixth person died today in hospital. The people that were arrested were found with cellphones. Police will still search whether the cellphones belong to any of the victims that were robbed yesterday.”
Premier David Makhura and Cele said the police are chasing after the other suspects.