By Ragheema Mclean

As gang violence and crime persist on the Cape Flats, Western Cape SAPS have called on the public to assist with information regarding the murder of four men in their twenties and the attempted murder of four others in Nyanga last night (5 May 2024).

Western Cape Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC, Reagen Allen, has strongly condemned the attack.

Allen stated, “It cannot continue in this manner. This is barely a week after four people were killed in the area, which means that eight people have now been killed in Nyanga in just seven days. Our data already shows that most murders occur between Saturday evening and the early hours of Monday morning. We need to ensure that these killings end.”

Meanwhile, police spokesperson Andre Traut confirmed that the incident took place in Mazizini in Brown’s Farm.

“Last night at around 18:20, unknown gunmen opened fire at the victims at their residence in Mazizini in Brown’s Farm, Nyanga, killing three on the scene and wounding five. The injured victims were admitted to the hospital, where one succumbed to death.”

“Detectives attached to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit are pursuing a number of leads to apprehend those responsible for the murders and attempted murders and will appreciate community assistance to expedite the investigation. The motive for the incident is yet to be determined,” explained Traut.

Speaking to VOC News, the Nyanga Community Policing Forum (CPF) Cluster Chairperson Martin Makasi says the community is saddened by the devastating incident.

“We are highly concerned about the illegal firearms that are in circulation in our areas. These weapons are being used to carry out multiple murders. Every second week, there are multiple killings, which is concerning as we are not even aware of the motives for these crimes committed in our community.”

“We want to urge the police to work with speed in terms of identifying the suspects, and we wish to encourage the community to work with the police in terms of sharing information about what transpired yesterday,” said Makasi.

Makasi said that these murders are a clear indication that more needs to be done to tighten partnerships and efforts between law enforcement agencies as well as the community.

VOC News

Photo: VOC/Stockfile