In 2021, Lusikisiki ranked 1 in South Africa in terms of the national crime rate.
[4][5] On the day of the memorial service for the victims on October 6, eight unidentified gunmen armed with rifles and handguns opened fire on a group of Community Policing Forum community patrollers, killing six people and injuring four others.
[8] On October 9, prosecutors charged 45-year-old Siphosoxolo Myekethe with 18 counts of murder and one count possession of an unlicenced firearm, an AK-47 automatic assault rifle in connection with the shooting, but did not announce Myekethe's motive or connection to the victims.
[9][10] On October 15, three other suspects linked to the shooting, 31-year-old Bonga Hintsa, 25-year-old Aphiwe Ndende and 33-year-old Lwando Anthony Abi were arrested.
[16] SAPS police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said "It's just a matter of time before we crack the case.