A police manhunt is underway to bring the killers of five people at New Monwabisi Park, Endlovini, on Monday morning 14 March to book.
The victims one woman and four men, between the ages of 25 to 35, were shot execution style. It is believed the gunmen arrived at a shack of one of the deceased, shot and killed the woman who was found naked before proceeding to the other shack where they killed the four men.
One of the men was wearing his underwear while the other three were fully clothed.
When City Vision arrived at the scene on Monday morning, shocked residents gathered around while crime experts combed the scene for clues.
Residents said they live in fear. They claimed not so long ago, they were threatened by people who kicked their doors in the middle of the night. Some were robbed of their valuables at gun point.
A 31-year-old mother of three told City Vision she locks her burglar gate and doors with two padlocks to ensure her safety. “You’ll not believe it when you visit my house. After locking my door and burglar I put couches against them so that no one can gain entry easily. If I can’t hear them breaking the first padlock, I am sure I will hear them on the second one,” she said. “When amaphara were kicking down our doors I left my house and slept at my neighbour for about a week. I live with children aged nine, 12 (both girls) and 14-month-old boy. My children are shaken as I am also scared”.
The woman lives a stone thrown from the shack where the four bodies were found.
She added that she heard “soft gun shots”, and in between the shots there was music being played.
“It was about 03:00 or 04:00 when the shots rang out. The shots were being fired slowly in between, and there were no screams whatsoever. I am really scared. This area was not like this before,” she said.
Brig Novela Potelwa, Western Cape police spokesperson, said a 72-hour-activation plan has been launched to bring perpetrators to book. In terms of the plan, additional police resources are deployed to fast track the arrest process.
She said reports indicate that unknown gunmen approached shacks located at the Monwabisi Park informal settlement in Endlovini, Khayelitsha in the early hours and fired shots.
“A woman and four men were killed. Organised crime detectives are investigating the murders. The victims, who are yet to be identified, are estimated between the ages of 25 and 35,” she said.
Sinethemba Mthini, chair of the South African National Civics Organisation, said the incident has left them terrified.
“As the community of New Monwabisi we are shocked. Seeing dead bodies around this area is no longer shocking to us, but this is different.
“Not so long-ago people’s doors were kicked in the middle of the night, and people were robbed of their cellphones and TVs, now this,” said Mthini.
Khayelitsha Development Forum (KDF) chair Ndithini Tyhido said: “We have received the news of the mowing down of five people in Endlovini, Monwabisi Park, Ward 99 in horror.
“The KDF, while appreciating the swift activation of the 72 hours search plan by the police, further calls on all community members who may have any information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators of this heinous crime to come forward.”
Tyhido made a call to businesses, churches, security companies, CBOs, neighbourhood watches, CPFs and youth formations to urgently respond to the call to re-establish a well thought out, resourced and multi-discipline Khayelitsha Safety and Security Forum.
Witnesses can contact police on 08600 10111