A 7-year-old was caught in the crossfire during a shooting which claimed the life of a 27-year-old in Bonteheuwel yesterday.
Police spokesperson Andre Traut said: “At around 12pm, a 27-year-old female was shot and killed and a 7-year-old boy was wounded when they were caught in the crossfire when rival gangs shot at each other in Bonteheuwel.
The circumstances are being investigated and no one has been arrested as yet.”
That incident came hours after a man was shot dead and three others wounded in what is believed to be rival gang shootings in Kalksteenfontein on Saturday.
“(We) can confirm that a man was shot and killed (on Saturday night) at around 7.15pm in Kalksteenfontein, Bishop Lavis.
"Three other male persons were wounded. Unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested,” Traut said.
Bishop Lavis CPF chairperson Graham Lindhorst said: “We have information that this was definitely gangsters shooting at each other.
"However, this was not crossfire or rivals shooting. These are members of the same gang shooting at their own. We do not know what the conflict is about at this point,” he said.
According to Lindhorst, the shooting occurred at a location identified as a hot spot.
“Our area is gang-infested and people are being killed almost on a daily basis. We are calling on the police for more resources in our area,” Lindhorst said.
He said that due to the lack of resources in the area, it has given criminal elements to “free reign” in the area.
“If we have more resources in the area, they can infiltrate the community and there will be fewer shootings.
“The area is very tense because of these shootings but police are monitoring the situation,” he said.
Lindhorst added that Neighbourhood Watch members are usually posted at the spot where the shooting took place but at the time of the shooting, they had left the post for the day.