A 32-year-old man has been arrested in connection with last month’s Heritage Day weekend Lwandle shisanyama massacre that left 11 people dead and 10 wounded.
The suspect is expected to appear in the Strand Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 12 October 2026, after police arrested him during a tracing operation in Lwandle on Friday.
He was facing 14 murder charges after police linked him to another deadly shooting.
He faces 11 counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder relating to the mass shooting, as well as three additional murder charges and four attempted murder charges linked to a separate shooting in July.
The suspect also faces charges of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The mass shooting took place at Kwandelu Shisanyama in Lwandle at about 1.15am on 27 September, when three unidentified gunmen allegedly opened fire on patrons.
Police said a Norinco firearm and six cartridges were recovered during the suspect’s arrest.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the firearm belonged to a deceased person and had not previously been reported stolen or robbed.
Ballistics tests are underway to establish whether the weapon was used in the massacre or other crimes.
Police have also linked the suspect to a July shooting in Lwandle in which three people were killed and four others wounded.
Investigations into both shootings are continuing as detectives work to establish whether other suspects were involved.
