Excruciating screams after gun shots, confusion, despair and watching someone once full of life take his last breath – these are some of the scenes just moments after Mandla Hlatshwayo was murdered in Soweto.’
Former Generations actor and radio DJ Mandla Hlatshwayo was shot and killed on Sunday outside a pub in Pimville.
An eyewitness who has asked to remain anonymous, described to TshisaLIVE some of the gruesome visuals she saw, detailing the screams she heard and how she saw Mandla take his last breath.
“I hate that I had to witness such cruelty as Mandla took his last breath,” she said.
The young lady, who stays next to the pub, said it was around 10:30pm when she heard gunshots. Although gunshots in the area have become “normal” she said the proximity of the sound scared her.
“At around ten on Sunday, I heard about three shots. Soon after, I heard a lady screaming for help. When I went outside, I found Meli (the pub owner) in a hysterical state. Like screaming, crying, and throwing himself on the ground,” she said.
She admit that although she was scared, instinct saw her going to enquire what happened so she could help.
She told TshisaLIVE that what she saw was a “disturbing” site as Mandla lay on the ground breathing in a very shallow manner. A slight shift in her gaze lead her to a motionless body which belonged to a man affectionately known as Tomtom.
“I came across two ladies kneeling next to Mandla, also in a hysterical state. I rushed over to see if he was still breathing. He was. As I walked inside, I saw Tomtom’s body also laying on the ground in a very bad and disturbing state. I realised at that moment that he was not moving. He was dead,” she said.
She said she rushed into the pub to ask for a cushion to support Mandla’s head as more people came rushing out to assess the situation. The young lady said she did not know Mandla personally but had seen the radio DJ go into the pub a couple of times.
She claims they waited for 40/50 minutes, pacing up and down as they waited for emergency services. She felt “helpless” and it seemed to be getting colder and colder.
She explains that upon eventual arrival by emergency services, they declared Mandla dead after assessment and began covering his body with foil.
Police have yet to make any arrests.
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