Cape Town - Police are investigating a murder incident where four men were killed in Khayelitsha.
The shooting happened just before 8pm on Saturday evening in Albertina Sisulu Drive, Makhaya.
The bodies of the men aged between 30 and 40 lay metres apart as community members watched the police as they scoured the scene for clues.
It is believed that those killed were not involved in criminal activities and one of them was a local soccer ace.
A resident said: “I thought we heard fireworks when the shots went off and we went to check out what happened. We found out that one of the victims was a married man and a father, the other was a soccer player for a local team.
“This area is generally quiet, and this is shocking to everyone.”
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said the Serious and Violent Crimes (SVC) detectives were probing an incident that claimed the lives of four men aged between 30 and 40 in Albertina Sisulu Drive, Makhaya on Saturday night at around 7.50pm when they were shot and killed by unknown suspects.
“Two other men were also injured during the same incident and are being treated in hospital. The suspects fled the scene and are being pursued by police. The motive for the multiple murder case is yet to be determined.”
Western Cape Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen said police intelligence should be initiated.
“I am horrified by this latest mass murder incident. It is critical that the perpetrators immediately be apprehended, as we cannot have this calibre of individuals in our communities.
“Clearly these criminals have no regard for life and have chosen to live outside the parameters of our laws. SAPS’ intelligence should optimally be initiated and implemented, while community members with information should come forward and make it available,” he added.
“From a Western Cape government perspective, we continue to support SAPS with the deployment of our Leap officers in areas where crime is rife and where the murder rate is highest, as our aim is to halve the murder rate by 2029.”
This shooting happened six weeks after three males were murdered at a shebeen. Traut said two unknown suspects opened fire at the victims at around 7.40pm at a tavern in Enkanini informal settlement on November 30 and the motive for the murders and attempted murders was unknown.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111 or by using the My SAPS mobile app.