Triple murder leaves Gugulethu residents in fear, police launch manhunt

Gugulethu has been rocked by another mass shooting after three men were gunned down on Tuesday evening, deepening fears in a community already traumatised by relentless violence.

According to police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut, a manhunt has been launched following the fatal shooting in the Lotus informal settlement at around 6:30pm.

“According to reports, the victims were attacked by unknown gunmen who opened fire before fleeing the scene. The motive for the attack is yet to be determined, and detectives from the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit are pursuing all leads to trace and apprehend those responsible,” said Traut.

Gugulethu Community Police Forum chairperson Deon Makiti expressed deep concern over the continued bloodshed and its devastating impact on residents.

“We are concerned by these incidents that leave our communities in trauma, as these are traumatic experiences. Some people were coming home from work, there were children, and some were at the shops when the shooting happened. We are unable to move around at ease,” said Makiti.

He said fear and silence in the community were hindering justice.

“The sad thing is that the community members are scared to tell us who the perpetrators are. For us to live in a peaceful environment and have a better life, we need to report these criminals. We want these people to be arrested and removed from our society. We urge people to go to the station commander and report these perpetrators.”

Makiti revealed that the CPF had been in a community engagement meeting discussing safety issues when the shooting occurred. “These are not nice experiences. Even though it may be criminals taking each other out, the fact that they are leaving our communities in a traumatic state is what concerns us.”

The latest killings come just days after a gruesome double murder, captured on video, shook residents. One of the victims was popular local DJ Luvuyo “P Touch” Sapepa.

The pair were reportedly attacked by five heavily armed men, one of whom carried a rifle.

The spate of killings has intensified calls for stronger policing and community cooperation in Gugulethu, where residents say they live in constant fear of gunfire.

Members of the public who may have witnessed the latest incident or have information that could assist the investigation are urged to contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111 or use the MySAPS mobile app.

Cape Times