While the search continues for the suspects involved in the murder of four people in Nyanga at the weekend, concerns have been expressed that the incident may be related to extortion crimes prevalent in Cape Town.
Police said they had launched a manhunt after four people were found shot and killed in a shack in the Lloyd informal settlement on Govan Mbeki Road on Sunday night.
A fifth person was admitted to hospital with a gunshot wound.
SAPS spokesperson, Andrè Traut, said: “The SAPS have launched an investigation following an incident in Nyanga which claimed the lives of four people.
“Police members were summoned to the crime scene in Lloyd informal settlement in Govan Mbeki Road at around 9.40pm where the bodies of three men and one female in their twenties were discovered with gunshot wounds inside a shack.
“A fifth victim was admitted to hospital, also with a gunshot wound.
“The motive for the attack on the victims is yet to be determined and the suspects are still being sought by detectives attached to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit,” said Traut.
Nyanga CPF secretary Dumisani Qwebe condemned the murders.
“What was shocking to us is that the incident happened in an area that is usually very quiet.
“The area has very little to almost no crime but this has now been a wake-up call that crime is spreading in our areas.
“We will be engaging with the SAPS robustly to address these issues of crime and will come alongside them to support in joint efforts in crime fighting.
“We cannot allow our people to live in fear like this,” said Qwebe.
According to Qwebe, there were suspicions that the incident may be related to extortion crimes in the area.
“We cannot be sure yet what exactly gave rise to the murders but there is strong suspicion that this is what transpired. We must allow the SAPS to do a thorough investigation. We want the SAPS to be pro-active in their approach to crime and not reactive.
“There should be a heavy reliance on crime intelligence to get to the bottom of this so that it does not spiral out of control,” said Qwebe.
Samora Machel CPF spokesperson, Bongani Maqungwana, said the community was shocked to hear gunshots on Sunday night.
“It is suspected that this is linked to the extortion groups fighting over turf control or something went wrong among the skollies.
“We are in shock and working around the clock with the SAPS and neighbourhood watches trying to prevent such from happening again,” said Maqungwana.
Anyone with information about the incident can anonymously contact Crime Stop on 08600101111 or use the MySaps app.
Cape Times