Cape Town - Three people, possibly linked to extortion or retaliation, have been shot dead in Nyanga.
Detectives are trying to identify the three men whose bodies were found in Ntlangano Crescent, Nyanga, at around 4pm on Monday.
Police found one of the victims inside a white Toyota Avanza, the other next to the vehicle and one in a tailoring business operating from a container in the same street.
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen said the level of killings, including this triple murder, require an immediate shift in how policing is conducted.
Between the gang and extortion killings, police have to get their ducks in a row and utilise their intelligence more effectively to prevent these continuing murders from happening.
“I have written to SAPS provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile to, among others, enquire how the current murderous situation would be addressed and how the violence would be turned around.”
Allen said it took hard and collaborative work between police, their Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (Leap) officers and various other law enforcement agencies to ensure Nyanga was no longer the murder capital of the country.
Nyanga Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Dumisani Qwebe said they were shocked to learn about the shooting of the three individuals.
He said it was possible that the trio were involved in extortion, judging by the exact precinct where they were fatally wounded.
He encouraged all entities involved to ensure they continue making a positive impact “in extortion cases and all other areas”.
Last Thursday, in an attempt to restrain extortion, City mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis launched a city-wide anti-extortion campaign in Khayelitsha under the slogan “Enough is Enough! Genoeg is Genoeg! Kwanele!”
When talking to the Cape Argus, Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said in the next few weeks arrests would be made following an extortion attempt on their project to construct new MyCiTi depots in Khayelitsha.
The City is currently working with the police to make sure those responsible are brought to book.
Police request anyone with information on the case contact Crime Stop on 0860010111 or use My SAPS mobile application.
siviwe.melapi@inl.co.za