Three people were shot and killed in 24 hours in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain, sparking fears of an escalating gang war.
It is believed the shootings were in retaliation for the murder of former American gang boss Mogamat Sadeka Madatt, 55 who was shot and killed last month in Kapteinsklip in an alleged gang hit.
On Saturday, two people were shot, one dead, in Gold Street, Rocklands around 9pm in a drive-by shooting and while that scene was still active, another person was shot and killed in nearby Viscount Avenue.
Yesterday around noon, another person was shot and killed in broad daylight in Rocklands at the railway line.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie confirms the shootings and says no arrests have been made.
“Mitchells Plain SAPS opened a case of murder and a charge of attempted murder following a shooting incident that claimed the life of a 17-year-old boy and injured another 18-year-old boy on Saturday, 11 May 2024, at approximately 8.24pm.
“It is alleged that the two were shot at by rival gang members in Gold Street in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain.
“When members arrived at the scene, they were informed that the victims were already transported to a medical facility by private transport. The 17-year-old succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body while the other suffered a gunshot wound to the leg.”
A resident tells the Daily Voice that a gang war is currently brewing between the Americans and Fancy Boys.
“It is very bad at the moment. The man who was shot at the train line was sitting outside in the sun when one of the Fancy Boys came and shot him, he is not a gangster but his brother is.
“The Americans started this on Saturday night when they shot those boys in Gold Street and the Fancy Boys retaliated by shooting somebody dead in Viscount. It is all retaliation.”
“They are shooting any time of the day, they do not care. It is like the police can’t control it anymore, it is very bad, our young people don’t have a vision in life, they are just killing each other like nothing,” says the scared resident.
Cape Flats Safety Forum, Abie Isaacs reiterated calls for the army to be deployed in Rocklands to quell the gang violence.
He adds: “We note that communities are in fear in terms of their children safe returning to schools. This will (also) have an effect on the elections as members of the community won’t make it to the voting booths because of these shootings.”