Cape Town – Six people were shot dead and four others wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire in a Site C house in Khayelitsha yesterday.
Crime experts were at the scene last night, combing the area for clues, according to police.
“Details about the shooting incident are still sketchy. Khayelitsha police were called out to Solomon Tshuku Street at 4pm where information gathered indicates that yet-to-be-identified gunmen fired shots at 10 people.
’’Six died on the scene, four were wounded and taken to hospital for treatment. Further details about the incident are yet to emerge,” said police spokesperson Novela Potelwa.
Residents reeling from the shock told the Cape Times that crime in the area was “out of control”.
The shooting comes less than a month after 2-year-old Alunamda Makhonco was wounded by a stray bullet in an alleged hit on two men who were shot dead in the same area.
Police had reportedly found more than 50 bullet casings at the scene.
Yesterday’s shooting occurred in the same area where three people were killed in a shooting in August. Two of them were declared dead on the scene and the third on arrival at the hospital.
About yesterday’s shooting, ward councillor Mlulami Velem said: “I have been informed about a shooting in the area but I was not there at the time. I don’t want to speculate about what might have led to this incident.
“All I can tell you is that people live in fear in that area, including myself.
“Crime in this area is out of control. We cannot even send people to repair burst drains because we get reports that they are robbed and attacked.”
He called on the national government to intervene, saying the issue was beyond local officials.
“Site C is a very big area to not have a police station, even a mobile station. We need the government to intervene and stop this. They can deploy more officers, even the army on the ground.
People cannot continue living like this,” he said.
Anyone with information about the incident can anonymously contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or SMS Crime Line on 32211.
Separately, police arrested a 32-year-old suspect for the possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition on Eltister Street in Lavender Hill, said police spokesperson Andrè Traut.
Officers received information from residents about a suspect who was walking with a firearm in the road on Tuesday night.
“They responded to the information and spotted the suspect matching the description given.
“They apprehended the suspect and searched him and found a 9mm pistol and nine rounds of ammunition in his possession.
“He is due to make a court appearance in Wynberg Magistrate’s Court.
Cape Times