OUT OF CONTROL

MITCHELLS Plain residents say that cops are losing the battle against gang violence after another deadly shooting on Wednesday night.

The community of Lentegeur is reeling after a 42-year-old man was killed and a woman wounded.

According to police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg, detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.

Twigg reports: “Lentegeur police are investigating the circumstances which led to a shooting incident in Linaria Road, Lentegeur, on Wednesday evening.

“According to reports, the victim was driving in his vehicle when he came under attack. The 42-year-old male sustained gunshot wounds to his body and was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel, while the female victim sustained a gunshot wound to her leg and was taken to a medical facility for medical treatment.”

Twigg added that the motive for the attack is still unknown, and the suspects remain at large and that cases of murder and attempted murder have been opened for investigation.

The incident comes a day after Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum (CPF) demanded a commission of inquiry into gang violence, following the murder of two teens in a Tuesday night drive-by shooting. 

Now Michael Jacobs, chairperson of the Lentegeur CPF, is renewing his call for authorities to deploy SANDF troops to stop the bloodshed. 

He says: “This ongoing violence and deadly shootings within the Lentegeur precinct… we want to once again reiterate the call that normal policing cannot continue under these current circumstances.”

“We reiterated our call for the President to institute a commission of inquiry into gang violence on the Cape Flats. 

"Under these abnormal circumstances, not only in Lentegeur but in most areas on the Cape Flats, we are plagued with gang violence and deadly shootings. We call for the immediate deployment of the SANDF to act as a stabiliser.

“We are way past having meetings or conferences for taking resolutions,” he said. “It is time for the South African Police Services management on provincial and national level, together with the MEC of Community Safety and the national police minister and the deputies, to come to Lentegeur and other communities affected by gun violence.”

Anyone with information on the Linaria Road shooting is urged to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the MySAPS mobile app anonymously.