Gang violence claims the life of a 13-year-old boy in Elsies River
Police investigate a shooting in Elsies River that resulted in the death of a 13-year-old boy.
Image: IOL
An Elsies River family faced a tragic end to the weekend when their 13-year-old son was killed in what is believed to be a gang-related shooting.
His murder raises the weekend death toll across the province to approximately 15, according to reports, despite the army's deployment to combat gang violence in affected areas.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said the teenager was among three people shot in 18th Street, Leonsdale, Elsies River at about 9.15pm on Sunday.
Twigg said the teen died, while two other men, aged 18 and 31, were wounded and taken to hospital.
"A 13-year-old boy was shot and fatally wounded, and two [men] shot and wounded," Twigg said.
"Police members were called to the crime scene where they found the victims with gunshot wounds to their bodies.
"The 13-year-old victim was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel, while the other victims were transported to a medical facility for treatment.
"The motive for the attack is yet to be determined and no arrests have been made yet."
Twigg said Elsies River detectives had opened murder and attempted murder cases for investigation.
In two unrelated shooting incidents in Makhaza and Endlovini, Khayelitsha, six men were shot dead between Sunday night and Monday morning.
In Makhaza, at about 7.30pm on Sunday, three men aged between 20 and 24 were shot dead inside an informal dwelling in Khonkxa Street.
At about 1.38am on Monday, three men in their 30s were shot at a shebeen in Endlovini and later died in hospital.
The suspects in both incidents fled the scenes, and the motives are still unknown.
Meanwhile, provincial Serious Violent Crime detectives are hunting for suspects linked to a bloody string of shootings that left seven people dead over two days in Khayamandi, Stellenbosch.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said the killings unfolded in five separate incidents on Friday and Saturday.
A 46-year-old man was shot dead shortly after arriving home from work in Mgabadeli on Friday.
Police said three gunmen opened fire on him before fleeing.
In Thubelisha, two men aged 27 and 32 were gunned down in another shooting.
In Fire Street, police found the bodies of a 27-year-old man and a woman, 26, lying inside a shack with multiple gunshot wounds.
It is understood officers patrolling Luyolo Street were later stopped by residents and directed to the body of a 33-year-old man lying between shacks after he had been shot dead.
In the early hours of Saturday morning, police were called to Seventh Avenue, where another man, aged 37, was found dead with gunshot wounds.
Police are also investigating the mysterious deaths of two women in separate incidents at the weekend.
In one case, the body of a woman was found dumped naked in Town Centre, Mitchells Plain.
In another incident, a 47-year-old woman collapsed and died outside the Mfuleni police station on Thursday, shortly after being reunited with her family after she had gone missing.