Cape Town - Gugulethu detectives’ work is mounting after two more people were shot on Sunday morning - with one succumbing to his wounds.
It comes as Samora Machel residents are reeling in shock after the bodies of three men were found with gunshot wounds during the early hours of Saturday; and after eight people were shot and killed while attending a traditional ceremony in NY 79, Gugulethu on Wednesday.
“At about 7:20 (Sunday) morning, an unknown male person opened the door of a static vehicle in NY 137 Gugulethu. The suspect fired numerous gunshots at the occupants wounding a 30 year old male and fatally wounding a 30 year old male. The suspect fled the scene and is yet to be arrested.”
Samora Machel Community Policing Forum’s Bongani Maqugwana said locals suspect that the victims were transported from another area to be killed in the Vlei, where the bodies were discovered.
“None of the residents have been able to identify any of the victims but I can tell you that residents are shaken by the incident, and the motive is not known,” said Maqugwana.
Police spokesperson André Traut said the three unknown males are estimated to be between the ages of 20 and 25.
“At around 6.30 the bodies of the three victims were discovered in the road in the Vlei informal settlement in Samora Machel, each with one gunshot wound to the head. The motive for the murders is yet to be established.”
Police are yet to arrest suspects in the suspected extortion-related murders of eight people in Gugulethu.
They said the suspects fled in a vehicle, leaving five dead while three others died in hospital.
SAPS spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said that although the 72 hours for the action plan had passed, detectives were following up on leads.
“Our seasoned detectives are working around the clock to find the perpetrators who are responsible for this mass shooting incident in Gugulethu and to solve this case. The suspects who fled the scene are still on the run and yet to be arrested,” he said.
Meanwhile, two suspects aged 35 and 31 from Lwandle and Khayelitsha are expected to appear in the Strand Magistrate’s Court today after their arrest on Thursday evening in Makhaza, Khayelitsha on charges of kidnapping and extortion.
The suspects are alleged to have accosted a 47-year-old Chinese national, who owns a business in Strand, while he was approaching his vehicle a week ago.
Police said: “The suspects are alleged to have later demanded a substantial amount of cash as ransom in exchange for the release of the victim. Provincial organised crime detectives, as part of their investigations into the case, followed crucial information on the whereabouts of the kidnapping victim.
“An integrated team comprising the National Intervention Unit, Special Task Force, Crime Intelligence and detectives later descended on a shack in Makhaza, Khayelitsha on Thursday afternoon where they rescued the victim. He had sustained serious burn and assault injuries after he was tortured by his kidnappers.”
The suspects face charges of assault, grievous bodily harm, kidnapping and extortion charges.
Anyone with information on the Gugulethu and Samora Machel murders can anonymously call Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or send an anonymous SMS to Crime Line at 32211.
Cape Times