Delft police are investigating three murder cases after a shooting in Camdeboo Street, Anceba Court, on Saturday 3 October and the discovery of a body in Bagzane Street, N2 Gateway, on Sunday 4 October.

Two bodies

In the first incident, police responded to reports of a shooting at about 18:40. On arrival, they found the bodies of two adult men with multiple gunshot wounds inside a motor vehicle. Both were declared dead on the scene by medical personnel. In Sunday’s incident, a 20-year-old victim sustained injuries to his neck.

According to police spokesperson Constable Ndakhe Gwala, the circumstances surrounding both incidents are under investigation and the motive is yet to be determined.

The Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape condemned the latest murders, saying that one police officer in Delft is responsible for approximately 726 residents, while a detective is battling a caseload of approximately 77 cases.

Immense pressure

“These figures paint a stark picture of a policing system under immense pressure. When police officers are stretched this thin and detectives are burdened with excessive caseloads, the ability to conduct thorough investigations, prevent crime and secure convictions is inevitably compromised. The DA is deeply concerned that criminals and gangs are exploiting these weaknesses while law-abiding residents are left to live in fear,” says Benedicta van Minnen, the DA’s spokesperson on police oversight and community safety.

“Every murder is a failure of the criminal justice system if those responsible are not brought to justice. The Western Cape cannot allow communities such as Delft to become breeding grounds for gang violence, extortion and fear. Residents deserve to walk their streets, run their businesses and raise their families without having to fear becoming the next victim.”

Van Minnen says the DA calls on the police to increase visible policing and law-enforcement capacity in Delft, ensure that murder investigations are properly resourced and prioritised, and address excessive detective caseloads that undermine the investigation of serious crimes.

The DA also wants police to intensify intelligence-led operations against gangs and extortion networks, work closely with neighbourhood watches and community structures to improve information-sharing and community safety, and ensure that those responsible for these murders are arrested and brought before the courts.

Impunity

“Residents cannot be expected to accept a situation where violent criminals operate with impunity while police officers and detectives are overwhelmed by workloads. The DA will continue to fight for stronger policing, properly resourced detectives and decisive action against the gangs and criminal networks that terrorise our communities,” she says.

Cape Town has been in the grip of a bloodbath recently, with four counts of attempted murder being investigated after four men were shot and wounded in Maitland on Thursday. On the day before, four people were shot and killed in Mitchell’s Plain.

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