ANTI-Gang Unit (AGU) detectives are probing triple murder and attempted murder cases following a gang-related shooting in Delft.
Three people were shot and killed by unknown gunmen while two others, including a 13-year-old child, were injured in the shooting on Tuesday.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said the Delft incident is believed to be gang-related.
“Reports indicate that an unknown number of suspects fired several shots on the corner of Umvoti and Sabi Streets at 7:05pm, fatally wounding three persons and injuring two. A 22-year-old woman and two men aged 39 and 28 died on the scene. A-13-year-old girl and a 33-year-old woman sustained serious gunshot wounds. They were taken to hospital,” said Potelwa.
Delft Community Police Forum CPF public relations officer Charles George said the community is traumatised by the frequency of shootings in the area.
“This father and his daughter were at the shop across the road when the shooting started. The father wanted to hide his daughter in a safe place. He shielded his daughter from the bullets using his body and unfortunately he was shot and killed. His daughter was shot and is in a critical condition in hospital.
“We ask the community to come forward with the information and contact the station commander privately. It is very difficult for us to swallow because there is no need for us as law-abiding citizens to live in these conditions,” said George.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said police were also investigating a gang-related shooting case in Avondale, Atlantis. A 27-year-old man with several gunshot wounds was found dead on Tuesday.
Mitchells Plain residents are up in arms after Riedewaan Boltman, 16, was shot dead in Rolbal Street, Beacon Valley, on Sunday.
His death came months after five teenagers were shot in a drive-by shooting in the same area.
SACP provincial secretary Benson Ngqentsu said mass shootings were being reported almost weekly.
“The police need to effectively use their intelligence and investigative capacity well. The shootings are a well-planned programme of a particular organised criminal network. As we always say, the tentacles of this network are wider and they are found even within the ranks of the criminal justice cluster,” said Ngqentsu.
Anyone with information on the Atlantis incident can contact investigating officers Detective Sergeant Pietersen and Detective Sergeant Christians on 021 571 8500.
Members of the public with information on any of the incidents can anonymously contact Crime Stop on 0860 010 111 or SMS Crime line on 32211.