Sizzlers' sole survivor 'stable'

CAPE TOWN — The sole survivor of the massacre at Sizzlers gay massage parlour in Sea Point last week, is in a stable condition in Groote Schuur Hospital, says a hospital official.

Belinda Jacobs said the man, whose identity has not been released, was not being treated in an intensive-care unit. "He is not well yet and I don't know how long he will remain in hospital," she said. The man is under police guard.

On Friday night, the ninth victim, Gregory Berghaus, 43, died in an intensive-care unit at the hospital.

The massacre victims were all tied up and shot in the back of the head. Most of them had their throat slit.

The identities of all but one of the victims have been released. Superintendent Neville Malila said police knew the identity of unnamed victim, but were still tracing his next of kin.

Malila denied a Cape Town morning report on Monday that police would be posting a substantial reward for information on the whereabouts of four men seen leaving the house at 7 Graham Road in a BMW last Monday.

Malila said no decision had been taken yet on whether to offer a reward. He added that in terms of the investigation there was "nothing new".

Memorial service 'hijacked by ANC'

"Detectives are working flat out on the case and the investigation is continuing."

Meanwhile, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance said a service held at the Holy Redeemer Anglican Church in Sea Point on Saturday for the victims had been "hijacked" by the African National Congress.

The service was arranged by the ANC, the Gay and Lesbian Equality Project, the Sex Workers' Education and Advocacy Taskforce (Sweat) and the Triangle Project.

Prominent among those at the service was Cape Town mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo.

GLA media director David Baxter said what was supposed to be a respectful memorial service for family and friends, became "political window-dressing" for the ANC.

Baxter said GLA president Juan Duval Uys and first vice-president Joe Chauke attended the memorial service in their private capacity, but left in protest when ANC officials in election T-shirts took the stage.

Clayton Wakeford of the ANC Sea Point branch said on Monday the ANC had become involved in the memorial service because "large numbers of our members in Sea Point are gay and lesbian.

"The call for the memorial service came from our domestic-worker constituency. There was no ANC statement at the memorial service at all."

GLA pamphlets at massacre house

Wakeford said only one person in an ANC T-shirt had delivered a reading, and he had not spoken as an ANC member, but in his private capacity.

Wakeford agreed there was a large number of ANC members at the service.

"I need to question the GLA motives. They plastered their pamphlets all over the Graham Road house.

"We don't know who they (the GLA) are. We are never able to contact them. They are running a media-driven campaign.

"The memorial service was the ANC's very sincere response to a terrible event in our ward," said Wakeford.

A large turnout is expected at St Mary's Cathedral in Cape Town on Monday when a requiem mass is held for victim Sergio de Castro.