THE Kraaifonten community was reeling in shock after three men were killed, one injured and a woman raped in Wallacedene in three separate incidents in the early hours of yesterday morning.
This comes after six people were killed in the span of 24 hours last Monday and Tuesday, and three men accused of criminal activity killed in a vigilante style attack and set alight on Wednesday night by community members.
Police confirmed a 35-year-old man was shot and killed in Mhongqo informal settlement around 1am yesterday.
Between 2am and 3am, another man was shot and wounded and his female companion raped just metres away from the first scene.
Also, not far from the two scenes, two men between the ages of 25 and 30 were shot and killed.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said the death toll remains at three as a fourth victim is still in hospital.
“Western Cape police are investigating three counts of murder, and attempted murder as well as a rape following three separate shooting incidents that occurred in Wallacedene, Kraaifontein in the early hours of Sunday morning," Potelwa said.
"Reports from the scenes indicate that at approximately 1am, a 35 year old man was shot and killed in the Mhongqo informal settlement. The motive for the incident is yet to be determined.
"In another incident a male victim was shot and wounded. His female companion was raped between about 30 metres from the first scene.
"At approximately 3:14am two males estimated between the ages of 25 and 30 were shot and killed not far from the two previous scenes.
"The motive for the shooting incidents is the subject of the initiated police investigations.”
Potelwa also said a man died after his arrival at the Kraaifontein hospital after he was stabbed in the chest in the COVID informal settlement in Bloekombos, Kraaifontein on Saturday evening.
She clarified: “This murder has in previous reports been erroneously recorded as the attempted murder of Sunday morning. The death toll from the Sunday morning shooting incidents remains at three with an attempted murder (victim still in hospital) and a rape registered.
"No arrests have been effected yet. Investigations continue with additional deployments sent to the area.”
Mawethu Sisila from the Kraaifontein Community Policing Forum called on residents to attend an urgent meeting today and tomorrow with the various community leaders to address the spate of shootings that has rocked the community.
“We are meeting to talk about what must happen because Saps cannot work alone and they cannot do it without the help of the community. We need to activate the community to be the eyes and ears of the police, so that we can be proactive.
"We also do not condone the community to take the law into their own hands.”
Anyone with information on the incidents is requested to call CrimeStop on 08600 10111 or alternatively use the mobile application MySAPS anonymously.