Cape Town - A spate of shootings on the Cape Flats has killed at least seven people and injured four others over three days.
Four victims, Taswil Daniels (30), Jerome Isaacs (36), Shane Williams (37), and Ismail Abrahams (64) were shot and killed at close range, while 37-year-old Mogamat Abrahams managed to escape the attack with a gunshot wound in Maureen Street, Lost City, on Saturday.
The day before, a 15-year-old girl was shot and killed when suspects started shooting randomly in Eland Avenue, Lotus River.
Two teenagers aged 13 and 18 were shot dead in Beacon Valley, Mitchells Plain, on Thursday. Three others, aged 14, 16, and 18, were injured in the same shooting.
The distraught widow of Ismail Abrahams, Shariefa, said that her son Mogamat was busy fixing the laundry line when the gunmen opened fire.
“The young men were planning to go to a party for the night and were drinking when the people came and fired shots. I don’t know why, my son is not a gangster. I am deeply hurt to have lost my husband like that,” Shariefa said.
Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said that detectives were probing the circumstances surrounding the Maureen Street incident.
“It is alleged that unknown suspects opened fire at the group of five and fled on foot. They have yet to be arrested.”
Traut said that the murder and attempted murder of the youths in Beacon Valley was also under investigation.
“According to reports, the occupants of a white vehicle opened fire at the victims. The motive for the shooting is unknown at this stage, and the suspects have yet to be arrested.”
In the Lotus River incident, Traut said reports suggest that the victim was sitting in front of a house when she was caught in crossfire.
A 24-year-old suspect is expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on a murder charge today.
Grassy Park Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Melvin Jonkers said: “The community is angry and wants the perpetrator to face the long arm of the law.
“We can’t condone any type of violence, we are deeply hurt that a young life of a promising young girl was cut short by a man who decided to open fire at innocent children who were just sitting. Our condolences go out to the family, and we hope that justice will be served.”
The chairperson of the Cape Flats Safety Forum (CFSF), Abbie Isaacs, said the spate of killings was concerning.
“We note with concern that our crime has increased and ask that the relevant departments that are responsible for the provincial safety plan make arrests quickly.”
City mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, said that Law Enforcement Advancement Plan officers had been temporarily redeployed from each of the five hot-spot locations to Mitchells Plain to respond to the spree of gang violence, primarily in Beacon Valley and Tafelsig.
On Sunday, 30 officers were deployed, with an additional 20 expected today.
Anyone with any information about the Mitchells Plain incidents can anonymously contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111 or SMS Crime Line at 32211.
Cape Times