Cops went out to the crime scene where five men were shot and killed on Sunday afternoon. Photo by Misheck Makora
COMMUNITY members in Mfuleni are reeling after a gruesome incident shook the neighbourhood.
On Sunday, 1 December, five men were brutally gunned down around 1.30pm while relaxing at a shack across from a spaza shop on the corner of Police and Deputy streets in the Western Cape.
The victims, aged between 19 and 30, all died at the scene.
On Monday morning, 2 December, Western Cape’s top cop, Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile, and police management visited the crime scene.
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According to Patekile, preliminary investigations suggest links to extortion.
Gunmen were reportedly searching for a leader in a protection fee gang, a friend of the shack’s owner where the shooting occurred.
From left: Western Cape top cop Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile went out to the crime scene together with General Vincent Beaton. Photo by Misheck Makora
“Two men, one wielding an automatic rifle and the other a handgun, entered and opened fire.
“All five men died instantly. Among them was the shack’s owner, who was facing a rape charge. In addition, two of the deceased had criminal pasts, with arrests for drug-related crimes and attempted murder pending,” Patekile said.
The top cop clarified that the real target, a known figure in the extortion racket, managed to evade the gunmen.
Their intention was to probably eliminate him and ended up attacking his associates.
The police currently have no suspects and are appealing to the public for information that can aid their investigation.
In the wake of the tragedy, a resident expressed fear and a demand for increased police visibility.
“We hardly see police vans on our streets. It’s no wonder we’re facing this violence,” the resident said.
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