Staff Reporter
Police in Van Stadensrus, southwestern Free State, are investigating a case of business robbery and attempted murder following a shooting incident at a tavern on Sunday night.
A police vehicle is said to have come under attack as it drove past a tuck shop while on routine patrol.
No one was injured in the incident, but upon investigating further, it emerged that a robbery was in progress at the tuck shop when the police vehicle was shot at.
The suspects then fled to a nearby tavern.
“On arrival at the tavern, the suspects allegedly fired randomly at patrons before fleeing the scene,” said provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele in a statement.
“Two victims were found and referred to hospital by emergency services.
“The other seven later came to the police station also with gunshot wounds.
“It later emerged that the tenth person was taken to hospital with a private vehicle.”
Meanwhile, a woman’s lifeless body was found dumped in an open field in Kalkuil Village, Odendaalsrus, on Sunday morning.
Police said they were informed of a body of a female found in the open field and on arrival at the scene, they found the dead woman lying on her stomach with a gunshot wound to the head.
Two cellphones belonging to the deceased who has been identified as Nolisizwe Mdladlamde, 41, were found on the scene.
Further investigations revealed that the woman’s body seemed to have been dragged for about 50 metres from the nearby road.
A 9mm cartridge and blood traces were found at a nearby spot where the woman was allegedly shot and killed.
Mdladlamde is said to have left the house alone at about 9pm on Saturday night.
She had been drinking together with her boyfriend and a friend.
It’s however not clear what happened to her but residents near the crime scene claim they heard a single gunshot around 10pm.
The motive for this murder remains unknown and no one has been arrested.