A suspected retaliation is believed to be behind the killing of eight people in three separate shootings in Harare, Khayelitsha, on Wednesday.
A man and his girlfriend were shot dead in Feza Street just before 3am.
Shortly after that a 35-year-old man was also killed not far away. About three hours later another five people were murdered in a hail of bullets.
Police spokesperson André Traut said detectives attached to the provincial serious and violent crimes unit were pursuing a number of leads and working around the clock to get to the bottom of three shootings.
“At around 6am police were summoned to a shooting in Ncumu Street, where the bodies of four males and one female were discovered with gunshot wounds.
“The identities of the victims are yet to be determined. Preliminary investigations into the multiple murders in the same vicinity in Harare led detectives to believe that the two incidents that preceded the one in Ncumu Street could possibly be linked.
“As our investigation unfolds, more information can be made available. The motive for the attack on the victims is not yet known and an appeal for public assistance is made,” said Traut.
At about 10am, police tape was still visible at the scenes, while the Tactical Response Team (TRT) and other crime experts scoured the area where the murders occurred. Residents came out in their numbers in shock and in disbelief.
Harare Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Funeka Soldaat said the incidents had left the community shaken and in fear of possible further killings.
“When I received the phone call about the incidents I rushed to the area.
Most of the people were killed inside the houses, including a shack. Some bodies were found outside, like they were trying to run away.
“These were young people known in the community. According to the residents, some of the people killed were allegedly involved in some crimes.
“We are all baffled about what happened and residents are scared of possible retaliation. Even the neighbourhood watch has been left feeling uneasy about doing their patrols.
“We are calling on the police to leave no stone unturned. We are also calling on residents to speak out – eight deaths is a lot. We understand that sometimes it’s not easy to share information with police, but people can speak with the station commander or the CPF if there are trust issues,” said Soldaat.
In January, in Khayelitsha, four men aged between 30 and 40 were killed in Albertina Sisulu Drive, Makhaya.
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen urged police to ensure that their intelligence was working optimally and that they follow up on every lead.
“This is a horrific incident, and shows the little regard criminals have for life. It is wholly unacceptable and I urge those with information to make it available to law enforcement agencies, so that the perpetrators can be arrested and convicted.
“The moment communities get wind of any criminal plans, they should inform law enforcement so that it can be prevented. Every single murder is unnecessary.
“As the Western Cape Government, we will continue with our LEAP deployment in the Khayelitsha area, in an effort to bolster the SAPS’ crime-fighting efforts. We need these criminals off our streets,” said Allen.
Anyone with information about the incident can anonymously contact Crime Stop on 0860010111 or use the MySaps app.
Cape Times