CAPE TOWN - A twenty-eight-year-old police officer was among four people to have been shot and killed at the weekend.
The officer was killed in Langa while with his friends in a minibus taxi on Saturday night.
Saps spokesperson Andre Traut said two passengers in the back of the taxi escaped the attack unscathed.
“At around 8:45 two men were shot and killed in a taxi in Jungle Walk. One of the victims was identified as a 28-year-old constable stationed at Delft police station who was off duty at the time of the incident.
“The motive for the attack is yet to be determined and the suspects are yet to be apprehended,” Traut said.
He said investigators were also deployed to Mfuleni where a double murder took place.
“At around 8:25 three armed suspects gained access to a residence in Melani Street Driftsands, Mfuleni during a house robbery and shot three people, a 40-year-old male and two 37-year-old females.
“The male and one of the females succumbed to their injuries while the other victim sustained a gunshot wound to her leg.
“The suspects fled the scene in the victim’s silver Peugeot with their cellular telephones and are yet to be apprehended,” said Traut.
Langa Safety Patrol chairperson Bandile Gcuwa said the area was being invaded by criminals from other areas because of pubs.
“How the incident happened was way beyond our control.
“Even if we had necessary equipment to prevent it from happening we wouldn't have been able to in time because we heard gunshot sounds and when we attended to it, the suspects were not on the scene.
“I wouldn't say that the incident was taxi related because it happened after working hours and where it happened was far away from where my people were.
“It was just people who were having fun. People from different areas come here, especially at night, because our area has many pubs.
“Of course we don't condone what happened and we urge many other policing forums to work with us to curb crime in the area,” said Gcuwa.
Family member Petros Matho said the family was still in shock.
“This is not the first time that a house was robbed and now we are sick and tired of what is happening. I never thought that people would be shot. They should at least have taken what they wanted and not kill people. No one is safe here and there is nowhere one could go and hide. The area is slowly but surely becoming a gangster paradise. It's useless to call for police visibility because the same police work with criminals and they protect them,” said Matho.
Anyone with information can anonymously contact Crime Stop at 086 0010 111 or SMS Crime Line at 32211
Cape Times