An off-duty police constable drew his service pistol and allegedly went on a shooting rampage after going to visit a friend and finding her with another man in Mpumalanga.

Constable Bonginkosi Malinga, 38, stationed at Kabokweni, is behind bars facing two counts of murder and one of attempted murder and will make a formal bail application on Friday. He appeared in the Kabokweni magistrate’s court on Tuesday.

Police called to a shooting incident on Sunday established that Malinga had travelled to Pienaar to visit Goodness Mhaule, 34, but found her in the company of another man, identified as Sibusiso Justice Khoza, 31.

Brig Leonard Hlathi said information gathered at the scene suggested that “the cause of the shooting was a result of a heated argument which ensued within the circle and subsequently, Malinga allegedly drew his service firearm and shot at Khoza.

“He then went on a shooting rampage where he fatally shot Mhaule as she was running towards her parents’ house for help as well as her brother, who was trying to intervene during the commotion.”

Medical personnel declared Mhaule and Khoza deceased at the scene.

“The suspect was immediately arrested whilst the brother, who sustained injuries during the shooting was taken to hospital for medical treatment,” said Hlathi.

Provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Mondli Zuma said internal disciplinary action was under way. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) will also investigate the incident.

Almost 1,500 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition have been handed over to police since the start of an amnesty for illegal and unwanted weapons on December 1.

The weapons, including 1,248 handguns, 75 shotguns and 142 rifles. were handed over at various designated police stations.

“As firearms are the instruments commonly used in the commission of crime, especially violent crimes, it is very encouraging that people have taken advantage of this amnesty period,” said national spokesperson Brig Vishnu Naidu.

“While the majority of the firearms have been handed in for destruction, we have also received applications for the relicensing of firearms whose licences have been terminated in terms of section 28 of the Firearm Control Act for 264 firearms including that of 247 handguns [revolvers and pistols], eight shotguns and nine rifles,” said Naidu.

“People that are illegally in possession of firearms and ammunition are being encouraged to take advantage of this amnesty period to hand over such guns without fear of prosecution. However, any person that hands over a firearm that has been used in the commission of a crime will not enjoy such exoneration,” said Naidu.

Handed in weapons will undergo ballistic tests to ensure they have not been used in the commission of a crime.

Naidu said police had made adequate provision for the safekeeping of all firearms handed in.

Nine centralised storage facilities in all provinces were subjected to a risk assessment.

Designated amnesty officials and police were subjected to screening and vetting. Only those who met identified criteria were appointed to handle amnesty firearms.

“A detective investigative team has been established to investigate cases of firearms linked to crimes.”

When the amnesty period ends, firearms will be audited for the purpose of destruction, Naidu said.

“The process for the destruction of firearms will then be followed to destroy amnesty firearms, firearm parts and ammunition like it was done when the SAPS smelted over 20,000 illegal firearms on November 5.

“We are confident that more people will come forward with illegal and unwanted guns given that during the festive period we have received this many guns so far,” Naidu added.

He said an enquiry desk at the Central Firearm Register Call centre was established to handle all enquiries related to the amnesty. The telephone number to call is 012 353 6111.

Eleven people were wounded in a shooting at Mary Fitzgerald Square near the Johannesburg CBD, in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

The shooting happened at 3am, a mere two hours after a drive-by shooting that claimed two lives and left at least six other people injured in Melville, Johannesburg.

Acting Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said in a statement on Wednesday that the provincial government condemned both incidents.

“Today we wake up to shocking news that people have been shot dead, while others are critically injured. As a province we are saddened by this barbaric act.

“New Year’s Day is a day of hope and celebration, a day where people plan their lives for the better,” he said.

The Gauteng government said a person had fired several shots from the upper level of the nearby M2 (south bound) double-decker bridge, targeting the VIP area at Mary Fitzgerald

A misunderstanding about the “seniority in the seating arrangements” at an initiation  graduation ceremony has ended in a death in the Eastern Cape.

A 26-year-old-man attending the ceremony at Mzamo Section, Ilinge Township, outside Queenstown, was stabbed to death during the fracas on Tuesday afternoon.

“There was a misunderstanding about the seating arrangement of the two men aged 23 and 26. The one was claiming to be the senior to the other,” explained police spokesperson Capt Jackson Manatha.

“Both men left the house which was full of people. It is alleged that the 23-year-old suspect fatally stabbed the 26-year-old man on his upper body.”

The suspect was arrested and charged with murder. He will appear in the Ezibeleni magistrate’s court near Queenstown on Thursday.

The identity of the victim is yet to be released.