A wave of gang-related shootings has left seven people dead and five others wounded across the Western Cape since Sunday, sparking renewed calls for urgent police action and increased resourcing of SAPS.

In the latest incident on Tuesday morning, three people were gunned down while travelling in an e-hailing vehicle in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain.

According to police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut, detectives from the Anti-Gang Unit are following up on all leads in pursuit of the suspects.

“Preliminary reports indicate that unknown suspects, travelling in two vehicles, opened fire on the occupants of an e-hailing Honda sedan at the intersection of Merrydale Avenue and Highlands Drive at approximately 11.10am,” said Traut.

The driver, whose age is yet to be confirmed, along with a 38-year-old male and a 36-year-old female passenger, was declared dead on the scene.

“The motive for the triple murder is believed to be gang-related,” Traut added.

A day earlier, on Monday evening, a 47-year-old man was shot dead and four others, including a baby, were wounded during a shooting at the Siyahlala informal settlement in Nyanga.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that Nyanga detectives are investigating one count of murder and four counts of attempted murder.

“Police members responded to a complaint of a shooting and found five victims with gunshot wounds. The 47-year-old was declared deceased on the scene. The other victims, aged between 30 and 40, were transported to a medical facility,” said Twigg.

“According to reports, unknown suspects entered the premises looking for someone and opened fire before fleeing. They are yet to be arrested.”

Nyanga Community Police Forum secretary-general Dumisani Qwebe told the media the shooting may have been linked to a robbery at a shebeen.

“They shot five people, and the owner of the shebeen was shot in the head and passed away. A 10-month-old baby was also wounded,” Qwebe said. “We condemn these incidents and have planned to meet with shebeen owners to prevent such tragedies in the future.”

On Sunday night, three more men, aged between 28 and 39, were killed in Philippi East during a shooting incident just before midnight. A fourth man was wounded.

“The victims were consuming alcohol inside a residence in Better Life, Philippi East, when unknown assailants entered and opened fire,” said Twigg, adding that the provincial Serious Violent Crime detectives are investigating the case.

Western Cape MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, expressed concern over the escalating violence.

“I note with concern the shootings in Philippi East, Philippi, and Lentegeur resulting in the deaths of seven individuals and five others wounded,” she said. “The proliferation of illegal firearms and ammunition is a major contributor to the spate of shootings and killings across various communities in Cape Town.

“The SAPS, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, is making great strides in confiscating illegal firearms and ammunition, but more needs to be done to get to those who are supplying guns and ammunition to local gang groups.”

Democratic Alliance Western Cape spokesperson on Police Oversight and Community Safety, Thomas Walters, said the killings highlight the chronic under-resourcing of police stations in the province.

“The DA in the Western Cape is deeply concerned by the insufficient staffing and resourcing of our police stations, which ultimately hampers their ability to protect our citizens and uphold the law,” said Walters.

“We will once again demand a clear, detailed action plan from SAPS to deal with violent crime in the Western Cape. This plan must outline how additional resources will be allocated to combat crime in our province, with clear timelines for implementation.

“Once received, I will invite SAPS to present it to the Standing Committee on Police Oversight and Community Safety so that it may be interrogated and scrutinised by the representatives of the people of the Western Cape. It is time for decisive action, and for SAPS to deliver the resources and strategies needed to bring an end to this reign of terror.”

Police are urging anyone with information on the shooting incidents to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the MySAPS mobile application anonymously.

mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za 

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