It was a bloody weekend on the Cape Flats, with more than eight people being shot in different areas.
Shootings were reported in Lavender Hill, Mitchells Plain, Manenberg and Kalksteenfontein from Thursday evening until Saturday.
In Mitchells Plain on Saturday, occupants of a house in Arabian Street were woken up by a gunshot in one of the bedrooms.
According to reports, Tyrone Smith was fatally injured in this shooting.
A source explained to the Daily Voice that Smith and his girlfriend were sleeping when they heard a knock on the door.
“When the door wasn’t opened, the shooter kicked down the door and went after Tyrone, who walked to the bedroom.
“The shooter then smacked the deceased and fired one shot, killing Tyrone.”
Photos of the scene depict the gruesome situation with puddles of blood across the floor and splatters against the wall.
Rocklands Neighbourhood Watch member Valerie Moses urged parents to be aware of who their kids hang out with and be open to them about the dangers of joining gangs.
In Lavender Hill, five people were shot close to the notorious canal in Sonata Street on Thursday evening.
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi explained that when police arrived at the scene they found the body of an unknown man, who had a gunshot wound to his body.
Swartbooi said the 44-year-old victim was declared dead at the scene.
“A female, aged 33, who also sustained a gunshot wound to her body was transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.”
According to witnesses, three more people were transported to hospital before the cops arrived.
Kalksteenfontein also came into the spotlight when an unidentified woman was fatally wounded in Inkblom Street late on Saturday evening, while another shooting was reported in Manenberg on Saturday morning.
Police captain Ian Bennett said a case of murder and attempted murder has been opened for investigation after a 17-year-old died at the scene and a five-year-old was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
No arrests have been made.
MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen, said the last few days of shooting on the Cape Flats reminded him of a Wild West movie.
“The big difference is that this is not a movie, instead it is real people who are losing their lives and real families and loved ones who are affected by these heinous crimes,” he added.
“Reports suggest that 10 people were shot with five being fatal and five others injured. There’s an urgent need to get these weapons, along with those using them, off our streets.
“Our people have seen and experienced enough suffering. We need to, as a collective, urgently take our communities back from these unscrupulous characters.”
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za