The death toll in the Sizzlers gay massage parlour massacre where eight men were murdered and two seriously injured earlier this week has risen to nine, say Cape Town police.
Superintendent Neville Malila said police received information on Saturday that one of the two survivors died at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town on Friday night.
This brought the death toll to nine after eight young men were tied up and shot in the back of the head on Monday at the massage parlour in Graham Road, Cape Town. Most of victim’s throats had been slit.
Groote Schuur hospital representative Dr Belinda Jacobs confirmed on Saturday that one of the two survivors of the attack had died but said she could not give any further details.
”I can only tell you that one of the men, who was in the intensive care unit in a critical condition, died on Friday night,” she said.
Jacobs said the other man was in a stable condition.
Meanwhile on Saturday, more than 300 people packed the tiny Holy Redeemer Anglican Church in Sea Point to pay their final respects to the victims of the massacre.
Cape Town Mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo said this was a very sad occasion, but it was hoped something good for the community could come from the tragedy.
”I know no words can heal the pain at the moment… but we must make sure that through their death something good can happen in this community.
”The best way to remember the young men that died would be to make sure that Sea Point and Green Point were cleaned up from the drugs and crime that have plagued the area, and that they were developed ”in a way it was meant to be,” she said.
She pledged the city’s support, but stressed the responsibility to build a strong community could rest only with the community itself.
The service was organised by the African National Congress (ANC), together with the Anglican parish, the Equality Project, the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (Sweat) and lesbian and gay health organisation, the Triangle Project.
Equality Project representative Evert Knoesen said it was a profoundly sad day.
However, one took heart from the fact that members of the community, from all walks of life, had come out to show their respects.
He expressed concern over the ”difficulties” police were facing in their investigation, but pledged the support of the group for the work of the SA Police Service.
Cape Town police have released the names of six of the victims.
They are Travis Reade (20) of Gauteng, Marius Meyer (21) of Barkly West, Stephanus Fouche of the Free State, Warren Visser and Sergio De Castro (22) and Aubrey Eric Otgaar (56) the owner of Sizzlers.
Police investigating the murders have declined to speculate on possible motives. ‒ Sapa