HA-MAGAU – A peaceful gathering of people drinking traditional sorgum beer (Mahafhe) last Saturday ended in tragedy when a 52-year-old man, Mr Piet Ratshilangana, and several other were shot because they could not supply another man with a cigarette.

According to the Tshilwavhusiku SAPS spokesperson, Insp TF Mammburu, David Mamudavhi (35) who had just returned from Alexandra to attend a funeral at his home village, allegedly failed to contain his anger after his victims were unable to give him a cigarette while drinking Mahafhe in one of the kraals at the village on Saturday.

He allegedly asked one of his victims for a cigarette and when none of them could supply one, Mamudavhi, according to the police, vanished for a while and when he returned he shot and killed Mr Piet Ratshilingana. He then proceeded to shoot Steven Mulaudzi (25), both in the stomach and thigh.

Mammburu said that, as if that was not enough, Mamudavhi allegedly shot another victim, aged 21, in the right hand. According to Mammburi, Mr Ratshilingana died on the spot, as he had been shot once in the chest. “The motive for the shooting is still unknown, but as police we suspect that Mamudavhi might have been angered by not being given a cigarette,” he said.

Mammburu said that the licensed firearm has been confiscated and sent for forensic tests.

Mamudavhi appeared in the Tshilwavhusiku Magistrate’s Court on Monday. He was not asked to plead and his case has been postponed to August 11, 2005, for further investigations. He remains in custody.