BONUS - RUSTENBURG - The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, has welcomed the arrest of six suspects on Sunday in connection with Kanana Township and Freedom Park shooting incidents on Saturday, 27 July 2024, respectively. In the Kanana incident wherein eight people died and 13 others were injured, a multi-disciplinary team comprising of the Provincial Organised Crime, Provincial Anti-Gang Unit, Provincial Murder & Robbery, Crime Intelligence, Tactical Response Team (TRT) as well as Dr Kenneth Kaunda District and Kanana Detectives, arrested four suspects who are all Lesotho foreign nationals, aged between 24 and 38, in Klerksdorp and Kanana Township respectively.
During the arrests, the team seized a Toyota Hilux Double Cab bakkie and more than 82 rounds of ammunition of different calibers. The suspects are expected to appear in the Orkney Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 30 July, facing eight counts of murder, 13 of attempted murder and unlawful possession of ammunition. In Phokeng, a team consisting of Rustenburg Crime Intelligence, Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC), Crime Scene Investigators (CSI), Bojanala Sub-District 2 Trio Task Team as well as Phokeng and District detectives, arrested and detained two males, both aged 30, in connection with Freedom Park murders. One of the suspects, who is taxi driver, allegedly gave the taxi (Toyota Quantum) to his friend. The taxi was ultimately used during the crime.
Subsequent to the incident, the taxi driver allegedly removed the vehicle from the scene and failed to report the incident to either the police or the owner. The suspects are also expected to appear in the Bafokeng Magistrates’ Court in Tlhabane on Tuesday to face five counts of murder and defeating the ends of justice. Both teams are still hard at work to ensure the arrest of the other suspects, who are still at large.
Lieutenant General Kwena commended all members of the respective teams for their dedication and relentless efforts in ensuring the arrest of suspects within a short space of time. He cautioned that lawlessness will not be tolerated and that the SAPS will not hesitate to mobilise resources to ascertain that those who unashamedly commit heinous crimes are brought to book to face the full might of the law.
