Bloodbath at guest house

GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - King Phalo Guest house in KwaNonqaba, Mossel Bay, was a bloodbath after six people were shot inside the establishment on Monday night, 15 March.

At the entrance gate, the body of a man (32) was found and another victim died hours later in hospital.

Police were notified by the owner of the guest house, Thembuxolo Tyatya, who lives in Oudtshoorn, but who received a call from distraught, frightened neighbours at about 20:15, saying they heard gunshots at this guest house.

Tyatya called Mossel Bay Fire and Disaster Management Services, which alerted the police.

After police found the deceased at the entrance gate, they entered the house where they found three women and two men lying, heavily wounded, in the dining room. Three women and the man were transported to George Hospital due to the seriousness of their injuries.

"I rushed to the guest house from Oudtshoorn and when I arrived I saw the body at the gate. Police were already on the scene, carrying injured men and women out on stretchers. When I went inside, I saw blood everywhere," Tyatya says.

A woman cleaning the guest house the day after six people were shot. Photo: Jannie du Plessis

Motive
Mystery surrounds the motive for the shooting. Tyatya says nothing was taken from the premises. It is alleged that expensive cellphones and personal belongings of the victims were scattered in the dining room area, untouched by the attackers.

Tyatya says one of the men, a resident from George and presumably the victim at the gate, was booked in at the guest house. "The other five had come to visit him. They are all Mossel Bay residents."

The manager of the guest house, who is also from Mossel Bay, was in the kitchen at the time of the shooting. She escaped unharmed.

It is alleged the three gunmen fled in two vehicles, but police could not confirm this.

On Tuesday, the Da Gamaskop cluster commander activated the national commissioner's 72-hour activation plan and assembled a group of experienced investigators to probe the incident.

Police have not yet revealed the identities of the deceased.

Anyone with information that could help in the police investigation is urged to contact the KwaNonqaba police on 044 606 5609 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

Businessman and guest house owner, Thembuxolo Tyatya, was in Oudtshoorn when he received a call from frightened neighbours who heard gunshots at his guest house in Mossel Bay.