Cape Town - A spate of gang shootings in Mitchells Plain, following the recent death of a prominent gang boss, Mogamat Sadeka Madatt, has the community on edge.
This past weekend, six people were killed in 24 hours in the Rocklands neighbourhood, close to where Madatt, 55, was shot and killed last month in a suspected gang hit.
On Saturday, three people were shot in Gold Street, Rocklands around 9pm in a drive-by shooting, and while that scene was still active, another person was shot dead in Viscount Avenue.
On Sunday, at around 12pm, another person was shot and killed in broad daylight in Rocklands, next to the railway line.
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie confirmed the shootings, saying that the suspects are yet to be arrested and it is believed the incident is gangrelated.
“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) at about 8.24pm.
“It is alleged that the two were shot at by a rival gang 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 local resident and community worker, who preferred to remain anonymous, said there was a war between the Fancy Boy and Americans gang in the area for drug turf.
“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’s 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 any more, it is very bad, our young people don’t have a vision in life, they are just killing each other like nothing.”
Cape Flats Safety Forum’s Abie Isaacs said they requested the deployment of the SANDF a month ago.
“We condemn this act of violence in the strongest terms and call on the authorities to leave no stone unturned in finding the alleged culprits. We note that communities are in fear in terms of their children safe returning to schools,” he said.
“This will have an effect on the elections as members of the community won’t make it to the voting booths because of these shootings.”
marsha.dean@inl.co.za