Six men gunned down in Cape Town

Six men were killed in Ocean View, Cape Town, after unknown gunmen stormed a house and opened fire on Wednesday morning.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said that reports from the scene indicated that a vehicle pulled up in front of a house in Neptune Lane at approximately 10:50am.

Details

“The occupants of the vehicle went inside the house and started shooting at individuals inside the premises. Five men between the ages of 20 and 50 were as a result killed while a sixth person who was transported to a medical facility after sustaining gunshot wounds, was confirmed as having died upon arrival in hospital.”

“Detectives from the provincial Anti-Gang unit are investigating six counts of murder. The motive for the shooting is suspected to be gang related with no arrests effected yet,” Potelwa said in a statement.

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Illegal firearms

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the province has expressed its ‘horror’ following the incident. The party said in a statement that the occurrence is not only a tragic and unnecessary loss of life, but also a stunning inditement of the state of crimefighting in South Africa.

The party revealed that due to the on-going blackouts in the area,  CCTV cameras were disabled at the time of the incident and hampered the investigation.

“The incident is also the latest in a number of shootings with multiple victims. Spurred by this and other incidents, the DA reiterates its longstanding call for a dedicated site for the destruction of illegal firearms within the Western Cape, as it is believed that many firearms confiscated by SAPS and LEAP officers find their way back into the hands of criminals while awaiting destruction at the central site in Pretoria,” read the statement.

‘Shocking’

DA Western Cape spokesperson on Community Safety Gillion Bosman said: “This shocking incident is utterly heartbreaking, and leaves an entire community searching for answers. While there is nothing that can be said to comfort the families of those who have lost their lives, we must recommit ourselves to bringing down instances of crime.”

Bosman said he would also be visiting the site to speak to members of the investigating team personally.

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