The City of Cape Town has called for urgent police intervention to deal with suspected extortion syndicates in the Cape Metro. There has been a spate of fatal mass shootings in the province recently.
In the latest incident, seven people were gunned down and two others wounded in Gugulethu last night.
Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith says, “The City is calling for an urgent intervention from SAPS and the criminal justice system to combat the extortion and racketeering. The City is quite frustrated by the slow response to Minister Bheki Cele’s announcement in September to launch a steering committee or a task team to curb the extortion experienced by businesses, while the media focuses on the CBD and surrounds. It has in the meantime became clear that businesses and residents in Khayelitsha and surrounding communities are experiencing even more extortion from gangsters.”
Police are investigating the fatal shooting of the seven people in Gugulethu.
Police say gunmen stopped at a residence in NY 78 and fired a number of shots, killing three women and four men. Two other people were injured and taken to hospital.
The incident follows a deadly shooting of five people in Joe Slovo near Milnerton about three weeks ago and the killing of six other people in Khayelitsha two months back.
Police are investigating whether the incidents may be linked to extortion syndicates operating on the Cape Flats and are following up on various leads.
Police launch manhunt for killers:
