Cape Town - A 28-year-old man is the latest fatality in a war which has ravaged the community of Leonsdale in Elsies River as rival gangs battle each other to claim drug turf.
On Monday evening, 13 people playing football outside a block of flats were shot at when a car drove by and fired at them, killing three.
On Tuesday, Michael Fortuin was inside his home when he was gunned down.
His father Matthew Fortuin said: “He was shot in the house. People said they heard two gunshots. I was not allowed access to the home after he was shot.”
He said this was not the first time his son had been shot – a previous shooting saw his son’s right leg amputated.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said a murder case was under investigation.
Fortuin was allegedly shot in retaliation for Monday evening’s shooting in Tiara Road. It claimed the lives of three people and left 10 injured.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said police combed the crime scene for clues.
“Three men aged 50, 37 and 17 were killed."
“Ten others between 15 and 53 years old, who were injured during the incident, were transported to hospital for treatment.”
No arrests have been made.
Speaking to the media after returning from the mortuary to identify the body of her son, Fernando Williams, 17, Judenia Strauss says he was a promising football star.
“He played for Riverside Rangers and was very athletic. He was not involved with gangs. That is what hurts most. I never had problems with him and he was never disrespectful.”
Williams, one of three children, was shot just metres from his Groenkloof Court home when his mother was alerted by someone who called her outside.
“As I understand, they were sitting on the corners of De Brug and Seven Oaks with his girlfriend. A car drove past and the suspects started shooting. Someone told me he ran after being shot but when I got to his body he was already dead."
She said her son was shot in the chest and thigh and a paramedic said the “bullet went through his heart”.
According to Strauss, the girlfriend with Williams was also injured and is in Tygerberg Hospital.
Residents who were left traumatised by the killings spray-painted a tribute message on the wall where Williams was killed.
His soccer coach at Riverside Rangers, Adrian Walters, said Williams was a promising player who played left back for the club.
“I coached him for three years and this has truly been a traumatic experience for us. He had a special talent and we have now lost a future star.”
Community Police Forum deputy chairperson Imraahn Mukaddam said the area was “extremely volatile” at the moment as retaliation shootings spike.
Mukaddam, who said about 50 shell casings were found on the scene at Tiara Road, said the issue of gang-related shootings was not being dealt with effectively.
He said the gang war has been raging for the past five months between the “Terribles” and the “Bad Boys” but said the shooting that took place on Monday evening killed and injured people who are “not remotely affiliated to gangs”.
“It is so senseless that our young stars are being killed through gang-related shootings. They were just a group of youngsters who were hanging out together,” he said.
Mukaddam said gang shootings in the area needed to be dealt with effectively.
“The conflict has been escalating and our communities are being held hostage. The issue is not being dealt with effectively by our security cluster which includes the police and law enforcement."
"The concern of the CPF is that no real intervention is being conducted on the ground."
“We see vans patrolling the area but they are not conducting stop and searches,” Mukaddam said.