A 16-year-old man has been arrested and charged with the attempted murder and hijacking of three Democratic Alliance (DA) members of parliament (MPs), including police portfolio committee chair, Ian Cameron .
He is the second suspect arrested in connection with the incident, possibly an attempted robbery, which occurred on the corner of Eisleben and Govan Mbeki roads in Philippi on Tuesday 19 August.
The first, an 18-year-old man, was arrested on the day, after seeking medical assistance at a Lentegeur medical facility in Mitchells Plain.
Provincial police spokesperson Brig Novela Potelwa said the 16-year-old was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday 20 August. She said members of the Western Cape Serious and Violent Crimes Unit had worked through the night and in the early hours of Wednesday morning (20 August) to find the second suspect.
“The 16-year-old who was arrested in Brown’s Farm has since been charged. The first suspect, an 18-year-old male, was apprehended on Tuesday 19 August when he sought medical assistance at a facility in Lentegeur. It is believed he was shot in the attack on the three victims when one of the vehicle occupants allegedly fired a shot in response to the attack. He is currently under police guard in hospital.”
Potelwa added that initial reports of the incident indicated the attack was perpetrated by three males, and another arrest was expected in due course.
Nyanga Community Policing Forum (CPF) secretary Dumisani Qwebe lambasted the attack, describing it as barbaric. He praised the swift action of law-enforcement agencies. He said the attack, if anything, should serve as a wake-up call to government that crime was a serious problem in the townships.
“The crime in Nyanga precinct is getting out of hand. The law-enforcement officers are trying to fight it, but they are fighting a losing battle because they don’t have enough resources.” Qwebe said the Minister of Police must deploy more boots on the ground.
