Gang violence claims the life of a 14-year-old boy, prompting outrage in Elsies River
A 14-yeard-old boy has been tragically killed in suspected gang violence in Elsies River.
Image: File picture
Elsies River police have launched a murder investigation following the fatal shooting of a 14-year-old boy on Friday at approximately 2:33pm in 18th Avenue.
According to police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk, officers from the South African Police Service (SAPS) responded to the scene and discovered the victim lying in the road with multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are currently under investigation, with authorities believing the motive to be gang-related.
Van Wyk added that a thorough investigation by Elsies River detectives and members of the Anti-Gang Unit led to the arrest of five suspects, aged 16, 21, 23, 27, and 30.
“They are due to appear in the Goodwood Magistrates Court on Monday, for the mentioned charge,” he said.
The incident has sparked outrage and grief in the community. A local activist, who was on the scene, described the harrowing experience of identifying the victim.
“I tried to see if I could identify the boy. Because I work in the community of Elsies River, I couldn’t see his face. His face is so badly damaged. His dad came, and his dad identified him by the school clothes and the shoes, only the shoes,” she said.
Another community member emphasised the growing concern over gang-related violence.
“We are here as mothers. We are here as women. We are here as mourning mothers. This has become normalised. We have normalised death. We are here today again at a scene where we have to identify, where a mother has to identify the body of a child, just school shoes,” she said.
She also questioned the lack of political response to the ongoing violence.
“Why is the President not talking? Why is he not coming? Why is he making these people feel like their plight doesn’t matter? The mother and the father are not going to come here. They are scared. What is that telling them?”
The tragedy highlights the urgent need for intervention in gang-related violence and systemic social issues affecting the Cape Flats. Authorities continue to investigate the shooting.
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