Two children, aged 11 and 12, and an adult, aged 30, were killed on the scene while three children were admitted to hospital.
Khayelitsha residents are once again reeling in shock following a shooting that claimed the lives of four people, including three children, at a local barbershop at the weekend.
Western Cape police spokesperson, Andrè Traut said detectives attached to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit were investigating the circumstances leading to a multiple murder in Khayelitsha following the incident at about 4pm on Saturday.
“At around 4pm, unknown gunmen entered a barbershop and opened fire at the occupants of the premises.
Two children, aged 11 and 12, and an adult, aged 30, were killed on the scene while three children were admitted to hospital.
“The 5-year-old later succumbed to death due to his injuries. The suspects fled the scene and are yet to be apprehended.
“The motive for the incident is yet to be determined,” said Traut.
Khayelitsha Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson, Monde Bambelo said he was about 600m away from the barbershop when the shooting occurred.
“We just heard gunshots. It is not so far from the stadium. The community says a white taxi arrived apparently with four people inside, the driver and three shooters.
“They said, first one guy got out and fired shots, then a second and then a third.
“I managed to speak to the owners of the barbershop because I’m trying to figure out if it’s extortion or not. They say they don’t know, because no one came to them for protection fee money or anything like that,” Bambelo said.
He said by their calculation at least 10 people were shot, as the shooting was not only inside the barbershop.
“Young boys ran away to ask help from their families and their parents took them straight to the hospital, they did not go back to the scene.
“We are trying to find out from everybody if everyone is still alive. We heard news from one grandmother that a child passed away in hospital.
We are trying to find each and every affected family.
“The motive, no one knows, we are all shocked. The kids were there to cut their hair, that’s what puzzles us. That barbershop has been there for a long time. It’s always been around Vuselela Primary School,” he said.
Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen urged said anyone with information “to make it available to all law enforcement agencies so that justice can be done”.
Anyone with information about the incident can anonymously contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111 or use the MySaps app.
Cape Times
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