Cape Town - Police have arrested two people for the murder of 10-year-old Aqilah Relly who was killed during a shoot-out between rival gangs in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, on Sunday night.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said the first suspect, aged 26, was arrested in Olifantshoek Street in Tafelsig. Shortly afterwards a 21-year-old with an unlicensed firearm was arrested, not far from the scene.
“Both suspects are believed to have strong links with local gangs.”
Premier Alan Winde said at least 40 people were killed in the metro region over the weekend. He said 25 had died as a result of shootings, many in areas where gang activity is rife.
“Gangsters are tearing apart communities, with the victims of their destruction often being innocent bystanders and children,” he said.
Winde also noted that 11 of the deaths were from stabbings, which were often the result of interpersonal violence and the abuse of drugs and alcohol which fuels it.
“The Western Cape government has recently introduced its own safety plan which will both increase the number of law enforcement officers on the ground, and implement violence prevention strategies with the long-term goal of reducing the murder rate,” Winde said.
Reagen Allen, MPL and DA Western Cape spokesperson for community safety, called on the police to ensure a successful prosecution to send a strong message that gangs would not be tolerated in communities.
Allen also said police should deploy additional forces to avoid any flare-ups and work to restore calm in the area.
Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz condemned “in the strongest terms” the shooting of Relly and passed his condolences to her family.
He commended the Mitchells Plain police and Anti-Gang Unit members who responded to the random shooting between rival gangs in Tafelsig and arrested the two suspects.
Abie Isaacs, chairperson of the Mitchells Plain Community Police Forum, said they would mobilise the community to oppose bail for the suspects.
Mitchells Plain ward councillor Washiela Harris said shootings were out of hand in Mitchells Plain. She said after she heard Relly was shot, she visited her home: “It was devastating to see a parent’s painful crying for her child who lost her life because of gangsterism. We need more police visibility in our areas.”
Harris said she would be meeting with all the safety forums to discuss plans to curb ongoing gang violence.
Potelwa, meanwhile, said the police had deployed additional forces in the area until calm was restored.
@SISONKE_MD