
Cape Town - At least 236 people have been fatally shot in the Western Cape so far this year. This means an average of three people are murdered with a firearm each day in the Western Cape.
These figures are based on the number of bodies admitted to mortuaries. An average of 18 people are shot dead a day in the country, according to Gun Free SA’s Adele Kirsten.
While police say they are concerned about shootings and murders in the province, mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said the murder statistics “are unacceptable” and that if gang violence could be obliterated, Cape Town would be “the least violent city in South Africa”.
Killings as a result of shootings have been in the spotlight due to ongoing gang violence. In one of the latest incidents a three-year-old girl was killed on Sunday after a stray bullet hit her in Bishop Lavis.