In one of the bloodiest weekends, four people, including two police officers, were killed in Khayelitsha in separate incidents on Sunday 11 June.
The other two are soccer officials. Both police officers were off duty at the time of their deaths.
The first officer was shot at Solomon Tshuku Street in Site C, the other gunned down at Mandela Park. The two soccer officials were shot and killed at the Khayelitsha Stadium.
The Khayelitsha Development Forum (KDF) described the killings as shocking.
KDF deputy chair Nodumo Khuthuka called for the law to take its toll and for perpetrators to be brought to book.
“As the Khayelitsha community we are devastated by the incidents,” she said.
“We are with the affected families. It is sad for the deceased to die so prematurely. What is more painful is that some of them were breadwinners for their families. Who is going to feed or support those families now?”
Khuthuka said crime was rife in Khayelitsha and something needed to be done. She appealed for a united front against crime in society.
“As a community, we need to reclaim our streets from criminals. We cannot allow criminals to dictate to us in our communities. We need to speak out. Enough is enough! All community stakeholders need to stand up and unite against crime.”
She stated that KDF strove to bring investors into Khayelitsha, but such actions hinder their efforts.
Western Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said they were shocked by the killing of the two sergeants in Khayelitsha.
“In one incident, a 36-year-old police sergeant based at the Elsies River Police Station was driving in Solomon Tshuku Street in Site C at approximately 17:30 when a gunman approached the vehicle he was driving and fired several shots at the driver. He was rushed to hospital, where he later died.
“Meanwhile, at 18:00 another police sergeant was shot while he was with friends at Mandela Park by yet-to-be-identified gunmen. The killing is believed to be robbery-related. The police sergeant was working at Nyanga Police Station.”
Potelwa said Acting Western Cape Police Commissioner Maj-Gen Bongani Maqashalala expressed her unhappiness over the loss.
“The two police officials were in the prime of their lives,” she said.
“They still had a lot to offer to the communities of the Western Cape. As the management of Saps we will continue to keep the bereaved families in our thoughts and prayers.”
Potelwa said two murder dockets were opened for investigation.
Provincial police spokesperson Sgt Wesley Twigg said Lingelethu West Police Station had registered two counts of murder following a shooting incident Sunday afternoon, about 17:50, at a soccer stadium in Khayelitsha.
“Two males, 37 and 46 years old, were shot and fatally wounded,” he said. “According to reports, the victims were approached by unknown gunmen who shot them. They sustained gunshot wounds to their heads and were declared deceased on the scene by paramedics.”
Twigg said the motive for the attack is yet to be determined. He stated the suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested.
Anyone with any information about this shooting incident is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop on 0860 010111.