Cape Town - A Mitchells Plain fruit and vegetable stall holder was shot and wounded when he came under fire from a group of armed men who attacked him in broad daylight at Town Centre at the weekend. The incident came days after residents feared for their lives as gang violence escalated in the area following the killing of a 28-year-old on Friday.
Police say the motive behind the attack on the fruit and vegetable stall holder on Saturday, was unknown. He was shot in his buttocks, arm and chest. “An attempted murder case was opened. No arrests have been made,” police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as shoppers fled for their lives when the attackers opened fire. Van Wyk said a man, 28, was gunned down in a gang-related shooting on Friday. Three unidentified men walked past the victim and all took out firearms and shot at him several times.
The 28-year-old had sought refuge in a nearby house where he collapsed and died, he said. The suspects were believed to members of the Spoilt Bratz gang. No one has been arrested, added Van Wyk.
Those incidents came a day after three men were shot dead an intersection in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain. Van Wyk said the men were aged between 21 and 43 and believed to have been on their way to Mitchells Plain when suspects driving by in a car fired several shots.
Van Wyk said murder cases were opened for investigation. No arrests have yet been made. “The possibility that this incident might be gang-related will be investigated,” he said.
However, police managed to yield successes in the Mitchells Plain Cluster last week. “The execution of search warrants, searching of wanted suspects, high-density patrols and visible policing, as well as stop and search activities resulted in 658 persons being apprehended from July 6-12. Anyone with information can anonymously contact CrimeStop on 08600 10111 or SMS 32211.