Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, has established a dedicated multidisciplinary team to investigate the shooting at a tavern in Wedela over the past weekend.
The team comprises seasoned murder and robbery detectives, Crime Intelligence and Crime Scene Investigation members, and is led by a senior Brigadier responsible for Crime Investigation Services in the province.
The charges have been updated to 18 counts of murder, 18 counts of attempted murder, two counts of malicious damage to property and armed robbery.
One more victim has died in hospital, bringing the total number of deceased to 18. Only four of the deceased have been identified, two South Africans and two Lesotho nationals.
All the injured victims in hospital have been identified. According to information provided to the police, five were shot in the upper body and are critically wounded, while the others are in a stable condition.
Operation Prosper, which includes the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and SAPS specialised operational units such as the Tactical Response Team (TRT) and Public Order Policing (POP), has also been roped in to update its operational matrix and intensify operations in Wedela and surrounding areas.
No arrests have been made at this stage.
