North West Premier Thandi Modise has expressed shock at the shooting incident in which two employees of the provincial government were killed and three others seriously injured. The episode occurred at the North West Development Corporation building in Mmabatho on Thursday.
“We wish to condemn in the strongest terms possible violence in the workplace which has left us numb with shock and convey our condolences to the families that lost their loved ones in the tragic incident. We also wish those injured in the incident a speedy recovery,” Premier Modise said in appealing for calm.
Modise said that the failure of the security personnel contracted to safeguard the safety of employees is being investigated.
“Security companies are employed at a very high cost to the state to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the workplace. We will be demanding answers and taking drastic action,” she added.
Premier Modise said that employees of the Department of Human Settlements-Public Safety and Liaison and the Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism would receive professional post-traumatic counselling at 11:00 today.
“We will await a preliminary report of the investigation announced by MEC for Human Settlements and Public Safety & Liaison, Nono Maloyi that will among others also investigate what could have led to the incident,” Modise said.
The MECs for the two departments, their Heads of Department and senior managers are to visit families that lost their loved ones in the incident. The delegation will later in the day at around 11h00 address staff.
According to police, a middle-aged man started shooting while outside the building and reportedly entered the building and fired shots inside the offices of the human settlements department.
Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said that two people were injured from ricocheting shots while the third victim suffered head injuries after being struck with a gun.
“The man allegedly went to one of the offices where he shot and killed one person, then turned the gun on himself when police arrived,” Mokgwabone said.
The motive of the man whom it has been confirmed is an employee of the Department of Human Settlements. The injured - two women and a man - were taken to a nearby hospital. Mokgwabone said a case of two counts of attempted murder, one of murder and an inquest would be investigated.
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Lesiba Moses Kgwele
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Cell: 083 629 1987
Tel: 018 388 3705
Fax: 018 388 3157
Email: LKgwele@gmail.com
