RESIDENTS were having fun celebrating the Day of Reconciliation outside a spaza shop at Greenfields near Eden Park in Ekurhuleni on Saturday, 16 December.
But their fun was cut short when they were attacked by two gunmen who forced them to lie down on the ground.
The thugs demanded their phones and then opened fire, killing a man who died on the scene while others sustained gunshot wounds.
Residents said the deceased, who doesn't live in the area, was shot in the chest when he tried to run away. Two women are in hospital, where one is in critical condition, while the other woman was shot in the hand.
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Survivors of the shooting described it as horrific. One of the survivors (32) said he was at the wrong place at the right time.
"I went to the spaza shop to buy some snacks and was surprised to see people lying on the ground. I was confused about what was happening. A man who was carrying a gun asked me if I knew the gun. He then shot me from the back and the bullet went through my right ear," he said.
He said he fell on the ground and could hear the rapid fire. He said the suspects could be in their late 20s and were on a mission to attack people.
"The robbers use guns to scare people, but those boys are dangerous, they could kill to get what they want," he said.
He thanked God for saving his life.
I'm happy the bullet pierced through my ear. If it went to my head, I could have been dead. I passed out for some minutes and the next thing I woke up with blood coming from my ear. I managed to go home and called my brothers who then took me to Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital.
Another survivor (45) said she and her friend went to the shop to exchange their warm beers for cold ones.
"While we were at the shop, my friend saw an unknown young man standing near the gate and asked him who he was and what he wants.
"The man responded by firing shots and people lying down. They robbed them of their cellphone," she said.
She said she tried to run away but fell and sustained an injury on her hand.
"I nearly died, but my ancestors saved me from the jaws of death. When the thugs searched people and took their cell phones, a car came from the corner and they jumped in and fled the area," she said.
The owner of the spaza shop said he sells takeaway, but people always stay and have fun outside his shop.
"I was asleep when the incident happened and my children came running, telling me people had been shot outside. It's sad that people were having fun and now they were attacked by unknown thugs," said the owner.
Gauteng police spokeswoman Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the incident.
"One victim was declared dead on the scene while two were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds. The suspects fled the scene in a black vehicle with no registration number," said Nevhuhulwi.
The police appealed to community members with information that can lead to the arrest of the suspects to call Eden Park cops on 011 960 0064 or CrimeStop at 08600 10111.
