South Africa and another mass killing
Noriko Watanabe and Chika Mori
Modern Tokyo Times
Recent mass killings in South Africa are spreading fear and bewilderment. Thus, although violent deaths in nations including Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, and South Africa is all too common, recent events in South Africa are worrisome.
In Soweto (Johannesburg), 15 people were killed after gunmen opened fire inside a bar. The attack took place in a poor area of Soweto. According to the police, the shooting was a random act of violence.
Lt Gen Elias Mawela, the police commissioner of Gauteng province, said, “You can see that a high-caliber firearm was used and it was shooting randomly. You can see that every one of those people were struggling to get out of the tavern … The number of cartridges shows it was a group of people [shooting].”
This part of Soweto, the township of Nomzamo, is blighted by horrendous poverty. It highlights the failure of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
In another recent massacre – of which reports are still sketchy – The Guardian reports, “The age of drinkers has become a focus after 21 teenagers were found dead in a tavern in the city of East London two weeks ago. The cause of those deaths has not yet been announced by authorities, but the victims were neither shot nor crushed in a stampede.”
Four people were also killed in Pietermaritzburg.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “As a nation, we cannot allow violent criminals to terrorize us in this way, regardless of where such incidents may occur.”
Lee Jay Walker says, “The ANC political elites have failed to address indigenous poverty in South Africa. Hence, for vast numbers of people, they see little hope. Millions of migrants have also flocked to South Africa despite the scarcity of jobs.”
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