Cape Town - While Police Minister Bheki Cele was addressing Nyanga residents at the weekend three men were shot and killed and two others wounded in a shooting incident little more than 2km away from the event.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said the police had been investigating murder and attempted murder cases since the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon in Crossroads.
Potelwa said it was alleged that suspects in a minibus taxi fired several shots at four men standing on the corner of Situlo Street after 2pm.
She said three died on the scene while a fourth sustained serious injury. The ages of the victims were estimated to be between 25 and 33 years.
“A woman in her thirties who was standing outside her home was hit by a stray bullet during the shooting,” said Potelwa.
Bongiswa Sinyondo, 37, who was taken to the KTC Gugulethu Hospital, after she was hit by the bullet, said she was hit in her leg, while she was standing outside her home with her boyfriend.
Sinyondo said she did not know which side the bullets came from, she only heard the sounds, and ran towards the house, that is when she felt the numbness in her leg.
Family members of 26-year-old victim Siviwe Siyo, who died during the shooting, said they were puzzled and disturbed by the incident but could not comment any further.
Potelwa said the motive for the shooting was yet to be determined. No arrests have been made.
Equal Rights Forum chairperson Thulani Pike said the incident was shocking but not surprising because that was their daily life in Nyanga.
“We are living in a war zone, and it doesn’t seem that the police are winning the fight against violence,” said Pike.
Nyanga Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Martin Makhasi said that the unfortunate shooting incident took place while Cele was listening to community leaders from Old Crossroads speak of the challenges of that area.
Makhasi said Cele has committed himself to giving attention to the challenges of Old Crossroads, Philippi and Browns Farm and to support community initiatives to fight criminality.
Anyone with information that could assist in the investigation is urged to contact the Crime Stop number 0860010111 or the police via the MySAPSApp.