Movie-style Meyerton ambush leaves six Basotho dead as police arrest three assailants
Tragic shooting incident on R59 left six Basotho dead and several injured.
Image: Supplied
Six Lesotho nationals were killed and 18 others injured after a minibus taxi was ambushed by armed assailants on the R59 near Meyerton in Gauteng on Tuesday.
Gauteng police said the Basotho group was travelling from Johannesburg towards the Free State when a Nissan Juke with three occupants allegedly rammed the taxi and opened fire, causing the vehicle to overturn.
“The Nissan Juke involved in the incident was reported stolen in Witbank in September 2025 and lost control during the shooting,” said police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko.
Of the six people who died, four were women. The remaining 18 survivors sustained gunshot wounds and are receiving medical treatment in hospital.
Sibeko said the three assailants fled the scene, hijacked another vehicle in an attempt to evade arrest and were later tracked down and arrested by the South African Police Service.
The arrests followed a coordinated operation involving K9 units, Public Order Policing, Kliprivier Visible Policing, the Midvaal Traffic Department, Midvaal peace officers and private security companies.
Six counts of murder, 18 counts of attempted murder, carjacking and possession of a hijacked motor vehicle have been opened. Investigations are ongoing.
The suspects are expected to appear in court soon.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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