Remarks for the Minister of Police, Mr Senzo Mchunu, at the media briefing on the arrest of the Lusikisiki suspects, in Cape Town, On 17 October 2024

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND INTRODUCTION

Deputy Ministers of Police, Mr Cassel Mathale and Ms Polly Boshielo,
National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola,
Deputy National Commissioners present,
Members of the media, those present here today and those on virtual platforms,
And all South Africans watching,
Ladies and gentlemen,
 

Good day

1. This press briefing is called to brief the nation on the recent developments on efforts to remove identified criminals in the OR Tambo District. You would recall that OR Tambo District is one of the two areas of our focus in the Eastern Cape, which also includes Gqeberha. Our key issue today is the arrests following the murder of 18 people in Lusikisiki.

2. Before the incident of 28 September 2024, where 18 people were murdered, a spate of violent incidents are known to have taken place, including murders and carrying of illegal firearms in and around Lusikisiki, to a point where Lusikisiki became characterised as an area of unlawfulness – such an area cannot be allowed to exist. We understood that to bring this to an end, we needed to investigate all known cases around the area of Lusikisiki police station that predated the incident of the 28th and finalise all outstanding cases. Since then, police have been very hard at work, deploying a number of personnel, with expertise and other resources needed to do just this and they have been at work since.

3. The first round of arrests were 3 people: Alibongwe Rharha Nkayitshana, Sikho Sinqina, charged with robbery and Aphelele Noncokwana, charged with murder x 3. It is now public knowledge that we started off with 3 arrests The National Commissioner will go into detail on developments since their arrests. Subsequent to the first three arrests, in relation to the incidents before the 28th, police were hard at work, in pursuit of the perpetrators responsible for the mass shooting; the National Commissioner will provide an update on this case.

4. It is important to add that on Wednesday, the 9th of October 2024, one suspect believed to be involved in the murder of a police officer in Ngqeleni, was pursued and neutralised. We were further informed that one of the items seized from the scene was the stolen firearm of the deceased policeman; police are still pursuing the second suspect.

5. At this point, I would also like to call upon the National Commissioner, who will also provide an update on the Qumbu murders.