The majority of the 19 people who died during a police shootout in Eltivillas last Friday afternoon are not from the Vhembe region. This came to light after the bodies of the deceased were transported to Tshilidzini Hospital and family members were asked to identify them earlier this week. Most of the deceased are from Gauteng and Zimbabwe.
This confirms the police's statement that the Eltivillas house was used as headquarters from where the criminals planned their robberies.
A section of Eltivillas in Louis Trichardt resembled a scene straight out of an action movie last Friday as a special police task team pounced on the hiding place of a group of heavily armed cash-in-transit robbers. During the shootout, which lasted for roughly 90 minutes, 19 people hiding inside the house were killed, while one police officer was injured.
The bloody confrontation followed an intelligence-driven operation by the police, planned weeks in advance. A residential property in Eltivillas was identified as the suspects' "safe house". When the police arrived at the premises, the suspects immediately started shooting, and the police returned fire. A senior police officer was severely wounded in the shootout and is currently recovering in hospital.
When the names of some of the deceased were released, the domestic servant working in the house as well as the gardener were also found to have been fatally wounded.
National Police Commissioner Gen Fanie Masemola, who visited the scene on Friday evening, said that the gang had been linked to a string of cash-in-transit robberies across three provinces, namely Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng. "This is the house where they were planning everything. Police members approached the house with the intention to arrest them. They shot at the police, and we retaliated," said Masemola.
Ten vehicles and several rifles were later seized in Thohoyandou and Louis Trichardt.
"We continue to heighten police visibility throughout the country. Many thanks to the team who has worked hard to assert the authority of the State. We wish the injured member a speedy recovery. We do believe this syndicate has been involved in a number of CITs in this province, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng," said Gen Fanie Masemola.
Five other suspects involved in a cash-in-transit heist were arrested in Thohoyandou the same day and appeared in the Vuwani Magistrates' Court on Monday, 4 September.
According to Matimba Maluleke, spokesperson for the Limpopo Hawks, the suspects were apprehended at a "safe house" located in Thohoyandou. The authorities suspect that these individuals may have ties with the group involved in the fatal confrontation with the police at Eltivillas.
Maluleke said that, during the arrests, law enforcement had confiscated two vehicles, one of which was an ambulance. The ambulance is believed to have been intended for use as part of the planned heist to transport the stolen money.
Asanda Maqhawu (33), Charity Phathutshedzo Makhwedzana (34), Ramabele Justice Peta (47), Vusimuzi Samuel Ramabekae (51), and traditional healer Sillo Shadrack Mposi (48) face charges related to the possession of suspected stolen vehicles. Their cases were postponed to 3 October for further investigation.
On Monday and Tuesday, 17 of the bodies were identified by family members at Tshilidzini Hospital. The names of the identified deceased are: Mandakayise Ngcobo (49) from Gauteng, Mzwandile Wiseman Hlongwane (43) from Soweto (Gauteng), Siyabonga Nicholus Mkhunya (44) from Diepkloof (Gauteng), Lazarus Bernard Ndlovu (39) from Middelburg (Mpumalanga), Khulekani Sibanda (42) (Zimbabwean), Disego Collins Moagi (45) from Gasekororo (Limpopo), Frank Moyo (43) (Zimbabwean), Magangane Mandlenkosi (35) from Diepkloof (Gauteng), Mokwi Moses Ntshetseng (41) from Gamasemola (Limpopo), Japhta "Tsepo" Makhavhu (46) from Lwamondo-Tshifulanani (Limpopo), Lehlohonolo David Tshuto (41) from Mabopane (Gauteng) and Ramaisa Dipholo (36) from Braam Fischer (Gauteng).
The name of the gardener is Mr Alexander Myambi (24) while the domestic worker is Ms Juliet Mugabe (27). Both were Zimbabwean citizens.
The owner of the house in Louis Trichardt, who was also killed, was Ms Tshilidzi Whitney Maluleke (36), while the alleged kingpin is Mr Simbarashe Malvin Machingauta (37) from Zimbabwe. Another of the alleged kingpins who was shot is Thabo Christopher Thipe (54) from Lenasia (Gauteng).
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID)'s national spokesperson, Mr Robbie Raburabu, said that the shooting incident was being investigated by them.