The death toll from a shooting in Lusikisiki, in the Eastern Cape, has climbed to 18 after one of the victims died in hospital on Sunday.
National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola said a team of detectives and forensic experts had been deployed to investigate the murders of the 18 family members.
The incident took place on Friday night in Ngobozana village and all the victims were shot dead. Police have also confirmed that 15 of the slain were women.
Political parties on Sunday called for swift action from law enforcement to arrest those responsible. The police ministry said the callous attack took place at two homesteads.
“In the first homestead, four people were shot and killed, with no survivors.
“In the second homestead, there were 19 people in two different houses in the same yard. Thirteen people were shot and killed.
“Six people survived which include a two-month-old baby.” Police on Sunday confirmed that one of the six survivors died in hospital.
The police ministry added that the team deployed will piece all the evidence together in a bid to apprehend the perpetrators of the murders.
“We have full faith and confidence in the team that has been deployed to crack this case and find these criminals.
“Either they hand themselves over or we will fetch them ourselves. We urge our men and women in blue to continue to assert the authority of the state for the benefit of our communities.
“We will leave no stone unturned in solving cases and hunting down perpetrators. We continue to urge communities to work closely with police in sharing information and providing tip-offs.”
Mkhuleko Hlengwa, IFP national spokesperson, said the party strongly condemned the senseless killings.
“We are deeply disturbed by this horrific act of violence and extend our sincerest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.
“We call upon law enforcement agencies to swiftly investigate and bring those responsible to justice. We urge the community to remain calm and co-operate with the authorities to ensure that peace and stability are restored.”
Ian Cameron, DA spokesperson on police, said the party extended its deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims.
“We trust that urgent and decisive action will be taken by the SAPS, in close co-operation with Crime Intelligence, to ensure that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are swiftly brought to justice.
“The DA calls on the South African law enforcement agencies to establish a multidisciplinary team to effectively deal with this investigation, with close co-operation between the SAPS, the Hawks, and the NPA.”
Cameron added that the terrible tragedy was symptomatic of the rising tide of intimidation, extortion, and violence against women and children in South Africa.
“In the past three months alone, 6198 South Africans lost their lives to violent crime, of which 966 were women, and 314 children, each representing a family that has lost a loved one and a community left to mourn.”
Cameron said that the party will closely monitor the investigation. “We will ensure that it is undertaken both transparently and swiftly, as it is our collective responsibility to ensure that such violence is met with a resolute response.”
Chad Thomas, an organised crime investigator from IRS Forensic Investigations, said there was a surge in serious and violent crimes playing out across the social spectrum.
“One of the primary reasons for this is the fact that many perpetrators of crime know that the law enforcement agencies and prosecutorial authority are lacking in resources.
He said the lack of resources was evident in the low conviction rates. He added that a large portion of cases were not being enrolled due to lack of evidence as a result of poor investigations.
“We desperately need more qualified detectives to supplement the already low numbers of qualified investigators in the SAPS and the Hawks.”
The Mercury