Gauteng police officers have made a major breakthrough in the fatal mass shooting incident which occurred at Nomzamo Park in Orlando East outside Soweto, in July.

A group of armed men, said to be travelling in a white minibus, reportedly entered a local tavern and started shooting at patrons. A total of 15 people were declared dead on the scene, while another person later died in hospital to bring the death toll of the mass shooting to 16.

A warrant of arrest had been issued for the five men on 16 cases of murder and seven of attempted murder.

The police confirmed that between September 22 and 23, two men who were linked to the shooting incident were arrested.

One of the men was apprehended on the N3 highway making way into Gauteng, while the other one was arrested in the Northern Cape.

“The National Crime Intelligence officers arrested the one suspect and he was was handed over to Gauteng’s Murder and Robbery Investigating Team for further handling. He then led the team to one of his accomplices who was arrested in the Northern Cape,” the statement from the SAPS reads.

One of the suspects is a 23-year-old male. He and his accomplice are expected to appear before the Orlando Magistrate’s Court today.

Investigations are continuing and more arrests are expected, the police say.