Cape Town – The Gugulethu Development Forum believes the killing of eight people in a shooting at a house was drug-related.
However, police last night did not respond to questions on whether they were aware of community complaints of drug-related activity at the house or whether they had found any illegal substances there.
Gugulethu Development Forum said:The incident has taught us that as people we must be careful of the places we visit.
’’The shooting has to do with drugs because the house is well known in the area for selling drugs, and has been for a very long time.
“As the organisation, we have been addressing the issue of drugs, but the problem is that people were afraid to speak up. The area is very notorious and crime is getting out of hand.
’’We have a responsibility to curb the crime in the area through working with the SAPS and community members and other organisations. We need a dialogue session where we will discuss things like crime in our community, and other issues.”
While a team of organised crime detectives supported by crime intelligence officers were hard at work, an eighth person died in hospital following Monday’s mass shooting.
Two gunmen had stopped at NY78 and fired a number of shots, killing three women and four men.
“Following a shooting incident on Monday afternoon in Gugulethu where seven people were killed and two wounded, the police in Cape Town have just been alerted to the death in hospital of one of the two survivors.
“It takes the figure of fatalities from the shooting to eight. The ages of the deceased persons range from 30 to 50. While some of the victims have been identified, the names of a few have yet to be determined,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa.
Friends Lumka Hlotywa and Lindelwa Mafuya were among the seven people shot dead at Hlotywa’s place while having drinks.
Mafuya’s niece Sibongile Mafuya said: “I can’t believe she is gone, this is like a dream to me. My aunt has been friends with Lumka for a very long time and that is what they would always do on weekends.
’’This is so inhumane. Whatever they did, they did not deserve to die like this. I am worried about her 34-year-old son, he dearly loved his mother.”
An intelligence-led investigation was necessary, said chairperson of Parliament’s portfolio committee on police, Tina Joemat-Pettersson.
“The committee will engage senior management of SAPS at provincial and national levels to get a briefing on how they envisage fighting this scourge.”
Anyone with information can anonymously contact Crime Stop at 086 0010 111 or SMS Crime Line at 32211.
Cape Times