Police are investigating a mass shooting in Ocean View, believed to be gang-related, in which six men were shot dead inside a house. Picture: Tracey Adams/African News Agency (ANA)
Cape Town - Police are investigating a mass shooting in Ocean View, believed to be gang-related, in which six men were shot dead inside a house.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said a vehicle pulled up in front of a house in Neptune Lane at about 10.50am yesterday, and the occupants went inside the house and started shooting at individuals.
Novela said five men between the ages of 20 and 50 were killed. A sixth person was confirmed dead on arrival at a hospital.
Ward councillor Simon Liell-Cock said the gangsters were allegedly from Hanover Park and were hiding in the house. He said it was a hit intended for the whole household.
“This is a big disappointment for me. Last year we had one murder in Ocean View and we have been getting more peaceful in the past five years,” he said.
Last week, ward councillor Patricia Francke said one of the people living nearby the house sent her a text asking her to call law enforcement officers to search it.
Francke said the house in which the incident occurred had been a hideout for gangsters from outside the area. She said a C3 notice was logged to the City on the gangsters who had taken over the house.
Francke said according to the residents, the shop next to the house was also causing friction among the gangsters.
“This house has become a problem. We’ve got gangsters, not even from Ocean View but from outside, who were living in this house. Ocean View has been so quiet. We had such a lovely environment, where everybody could walk and children play, but all of a sudden today we are faced with this issue.
“I am not happy with gangsters coming from other areas wanting to take over our area. Ocean View belongs to its people and not to gangsters who don’t belong here. Six of our children died in such an incident and I’m not happy as a mother and a resident of this community,” she said.
DA provincial spokesperson on Community Safety, Gillion Bosman, said the ongoing blackouts in the area had disabled CCTV cameras at the time of the incident, hampering the investigation and police response.
Bosman said what transpired in Neptune Lane was the result of long-standing issues in policing manifesting themselves. He said he would expedite the committee’s parliamentary oversight visit to police firearm destruction facilities to ensure the flow of illegal firearms from police to criminals was stopped.
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen said he was deeply upset.
“These are heartless criminals who do not deserve to live among us and should be behind bars.
“As a society, let us assist all law enforcement agencies to combat crime, particularly murder. We cannot have any of our communities experiencing a mass shooting or a horrific crime such as this, nor should they be living in fear about ruthless criminals potentially entering their homes and committing similar offences,” he said.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stop anonymously on 08600 10111 or via the MySAPSApp.
mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za