There have been no arrests made for the shooting of six patrons and the scorching of two minors at the Changing Spot Informal Settlement in the north of Pretoria.

Tinyiko (7) and Mpfumo (4) Mashaba, were burned to death on Sunday, June 2 around 19:30 after unknown suspects ran amok in the informal settlement.

According to the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE), the two were also shot inside their family home, before being burnt.

Their memorial service was held on June 6, and they were laid to rest on June 7 at Soshanguve Crossing Cemetery.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said that the armed suspects arrived at a shebeen in the area and fired shots at patrons.

He said the suspects proceeded to a shack in the area where the two girls were sheltering and set it alight.

Masondo said the suspects responsible have still not been found.

“This case is being prioritised like all other cases where children are the victims. The Gauteng provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni has appointed the team of seasoned detectives, led by the Gauteng deputy provincial commissioner responsible for crime detection Major General Mbuso Khumalo. The team is working around the clock to trace and arrest the suspects.”

Masondo said the detectives were following up on some leads.

“Detectives are following leads and working tirelessly to trace and arrest the suspects,” he said.

Family spokesperson Klaas Mashaba said the family was traumatised and still trying to process the tragic incident.

Mashaba said the family appreciates the community’s support during this difficult period.

Conveying his condolences, the GDE MEC Matome Chiloane said the GDE team was “extremely shocked and saddened” by the murder of the two girls.

Tinyiko was in Grade 2 at Lesedi Primary School in Soshanguve.

“This tragic incident has sent waves of grief throughout the community. Subsequently, police are investigating the circumstances surrounding this heartbreaking incident,” Chiloane said.

“The GDE has taken swift measures to support those affected by this incident. District and childline social workers have been dispatched to Lesedi Primary School and the bereaved family to provide necessary counselling and trauma support,” he said.

“This is a devastating loss, and my heart goes out to the family and the entire school community. We call upon law enforcement agencies to bring perpetrators to book. The safety and well-being of our learners is paramount, and such acts of violence are unacceptable and must be addressed with the utmost seriousness,” said the MEC.

The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronal Lamola has called for swift action against the perpetrators of this horrific crime.

“The full might of the law must be demonstrated to ensure justice for the victims and their families,” said Lamola.

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