The bloody massacre of four people near the Ezakheni Mall on Friday, November 31, has shocked Ladysmith residents.

At least one suspect was taken in for questioning by police yesterday. He has since been arrested. This highlights the sense of urgency police have given to the case. More suspects are expected to be detained by police soon.

Police would not go into detail regarding the detention of the suspect, other than to say they were following strong leads.

The horror shooting at the Ezakheni Mall on Friday evening was initially reported (online) as an attempted hijacking gone wrong, and then as a “hit”.
Four staff members from the Roots Butchery at Ezakheni Mall were heading home when the car they were in was stopped and they were shot in an almost military-style ambush. Initial reports indicated that nothing was taken.

Three of the occupants, including husband and wife Marius and Koekie Myburgh, died at the scene, while another (believed to be the driver) was rushed to hospital. He was placed on a ventilator to keep him alive. He died on Monday morning due to his injuries.

Marius Myburgh (42), Peta Ella Margrietha Myburgh (41), and brother and sister Nelson Pestana and 42-year-old Liza Maria Pereira Jardim were leaving the Roots Butchery at the Ezakheni Mall (where they worked). It was just after 8pm in the evening and other workers were also leaving the mall.

The car they were travelling in was ambushed within sight of the mall. Cars that left only minutes earlier did not report any rocks in the road. However, when the butchery staff left their workplace to head home, it appears that the soon-to-be-killers rolled rocks across the road.

The four unsuspecting victims stopped their car to remove the rocks. As the driver (Nelson) was about to get out to move the rocks, an Isuzu bakkie pulled up next to them and gunmen opened fire without warning. They shot Nelson and at the still-seated occupants. Nelson collapsed as he was hit and it is believed that the killers thought he was dead. The other three stood no chance, as they were shot at near point-blank range, multiple times.

Over a dozen 9mm shell casings were found at the scene.  All the victims were riddled with bullets.