Cape Town - Police have confirmed that one of four people shot and killed in Nyanga at the weekend were related to six family members killed in the Eastern Cape.
Provincial police commissioner Thembisile Patekile confirmed this yesterday while visiting the crime scene where three children were killed on Saturday in Site C, Khayelitsha.
Police spokesperson, Andrè Traut, said Provincial Serious and Violent Crime detectives are pursuing leads to apprehend the suspects who shot and killed two men aged 32 and 38, and two females aged 22 and 25, in Nyanga on Sunday afternoon.
“Unknown suspects opened fire at the victims at the Nyanga Hostels in Bush Street and fled the scene.
“The motive for the murders is yet to be determined,” said Traut.
The shooting came just five days after a family of six was killed in Mpoza Village, Tsolo, in the Eastern Cape. Eastern Cape police commissioner Nomthetheleli Mene said five family members were killed last Tuesday; another relative died on Monday night.
“It is alleged that on June 3, a 43-year-old male was shot and killed outside his grandfather’s homestead.
“On June 4 at about 7pm, neighbours heard gunshots at a rondavel in Mpoza location in Tsolo.
“On investigating, the bodies of a 73 and 75-year-old male were found with bullet wounds. At the same time, three more people, aged 62-67, were shot and killed in a nearby homestead in the same location. It is alleged they were related to the other three victims.”
All the victims were shot in the head. Patekile said: “We have reason to believe that one of the victims shot in Nyanga is related to the Tsolo family. We established yesterday that one of the deceased belongs to that family.”
Yesterday when Patekile arrived at the crime scene in Khayelitsha, he was welcomed by community members who held a prayer service for the victims. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis extended the City’s deepest condolences to the families of the slain children.
“This situation must change by ensuring convictions. I call on the SAPS to spare no resources in making arrests. There must be valuable information in the community on how to trace these gangsters and ensure justice for the young lives lost so tragically,” said Hill-Lewis.
Anyone with information can call Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
Cape Argus