Dark weekend for Hillview and Seawinds
An urgent meeting was called on Sunday, April 14, to address the most recent gang violence in Hillview and Seawinds after five people were killed and several others injured in shootings over the weekend.
The provincial police office is investigating the circumstances surrounding at least four different shooting incidents, said Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie.
In the first shooting incident, three people, two teenage boys, both aged 15, and an 18-year-old woman were found dead in the early hours of Saturday, April 13, in Drakensberg Road, Hillview. Not far from the scene of the triple murder, a 25-year-old woman’s body was found at about 5.45am.
“Muizenberg officers were dispersed to the scene and discovered three bodies with multiple gunshot wounds to their heads. The murders are being investigated.”
Later in the afternoon, the second and third incidents occurred - a drive-by shooting at about 2.30pm in Woodpecker Road and another drive-by shooting on the corner of St Patrick and St William Streets in Seawinds.
“Preliminary information with regards to the Woodpecker scene suggests that unknown gunmen opened fire and killed a 15-year-old and wounded another man who was transported to hospital privately. Counts of murder and attempted murder will be investigated,” said Colonel Pojie.
In the St Patrick Street incident, gunmen opened fire on a group and wounded three men. The three were also transported to the hospital privately.
Later at about 11pm, a 47-year-old man was shot and killed at his home in Hillview Heights.
Police say unknown suspects knocked at his door and upon opening the door, he was shot multiple times in the back and succumbed to gunshot wounds on the scene.
No arrests have been made in the cases yet and the motive forms part of an ongoing investigation into the murders, said Colonel Pojie.
Meanwhile, Muizenberg police said they’re formulating a reaction plan with the CPF and have dispatched extra officers in the area.
Muizenberg police spokesperson Captain Stephen Knapp said their office is engaging the community and is asking for information.
“We’re looking into affecting arrests but are urgently asking the community to come forward with information, not only about the murders but also information that could help us prevent this from happening again and to let us know where the firearms are.”
Two houses were also set alight in Vrygrond, leading to more tension.
Community worker Mark Schrikker, who was at the 7945 action group meeting on Sunday afternoon, said the frustrated community has had enough of all the brutal killings.
Ralph Bouwers, who was also at the meeting, said the situation has been getting worse and he doesn’t see any resolution happening anytime soon.
“Those two boys (15-year-olds) were wonderful young men who were gunned down so brutally. This is a systemic problem and we are in a very bad space with the gangs and drugs so deeply routed in our community.”
He made an emotional plea for the community to not fight each other but to work together to deal with the problem.
“We need the government to take our concerns more seriously and we need to take a stance to force them to make the changes necessary in Lavender Hill in order to save our people and our children,” said Mr Bouwers.
Steenberg Community Police Forum (CPF) chairperson Gavin Walbrugh said the community needs to rally together, report, and make statements to help police make the necessary arrests and said the CPF along with the police are considering their options to deal with the situation.
“If we are not willing to take that first step and go and make that statement then nothing will change. You don’t have to go to Steenberg or Muizenberg police if you don’t trust them you can contact the Anti-corruption Unit to report corruption but we need to try and rid the community of the violence and corruption.”
Anyone with information can contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111.