Police are investigating the deaths of three people who died in Johannesburg on New Year’s Eve, in three separate incidents.
Two of these are suspected murders and as of Tuesday morning, no arrests had been made.
A case of murder is being investigated after a man, estimated to be in his late-20s, was stabbed to death after the City of Joburg’s New Year’s Eve party in Newtown.
According to police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele, the man collapsed after the party and when he was found, a stab wound was discovered.
The City of Joburg said in a statement that the man’s next of kin had yet to be informed, and that the man’s body was discovered just before 01:00 on New Year’s Day. The City has urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
"All stakeholders confirmed that all necessary safety measures were fully implemented during the event. Incidents like this are regrettable and unfortunate."
Full statement:??#JoburgNYE18 ^KN pic.twitter.com/UydNCStiND
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) January 1, 2019
Meanwhile, a security guard of a hotel in Hillbrow was shot dead on New Year’s Eve. Makhubele said the man was shot as he arrived for work and died at the scene. A case of murder is being investigated, Makhubele said.
A man also died after falling from the sixth floor of a building in Hillbrow, Makhubele said. Details of the incident were unclear, and police do not know how or why the man fell. An inquest docket has been opened.
While these were the only deaths reported on New Year’s Eve, Johannesburg emergency services dealt with 16 car accidents.
City of Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said that this was the number of accidents reported as of 05:00 on New Year’s Day. No fatalities were reported.
There were also four fires reported, and none of these resulted in fatalities, he said.