The Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit has launched an investigation into a triple murder and attempted double murder that occurred in Gugulethu on Wednesday 16 July.
Provincial police spokesperson Col André Traut said detectives were appealing to the public for any information that could assist in solving the case.
“At approximately 23:00 the officers responded to reports of a shooting in Moletsane Street, New Crossroads,” he said. “On their arrival at the scene officers discovered the bodies of three men with gunshot wounds in a bedroom. Two other male victims had also sustained gunshot wounds and were already transported to a medical facility for treatment.”
Traut said the preliminary information indicates four armed suspects opened fire on the victims before fleeing the scene with several cellphones and a firearm belonging to one of the victims.
“All five victims are believed to be in their 30s. The motive for the attack is still under investigation.”
A community leader in Gugulethu, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of harassment, described the incident as shocking, and that Gugulethu’s reputation as a crime zone, it seemed, was growing.
“Early this month at least eight people were shot and killed in the shack in Kanana,” the leader said. “It is clear that the guns are carried by wrong people. The officers need to squeeze the space for criminals in our societies. No-one is safe now. Even as leaders we are scared to speak openly about these incidents because we can see these incidents are orchestrated.” (“One down, one to go”, City Vision, 10 July).
The leader said he and many community members condemned all the wrongdoing of the area. He urged law-enforcement agencies never to leave any stone unturned.
