Philippi East community shaken by deadly shooting of seven men
Seven men were killed in Philippi East, Cape Town.
Image: File
The Philippi East community has been left reeling after seven men were shot and killed on Friday night.
The local community policing forum (CPF) said the incident may be linked to ongoing extortion activities, noting that several Somali-owned shops had closed earlier in the week.
“We are very shocked by this as this is not the first incident like this. In February, five men were shot and subsequently set alight inside a vehicle near the scene of Friday's incident.
“We would like to urge people to come forward with any kind of information that may lead to the arrest of the perpetrators. We know that people fear coming forward with key information, but we plead with them because the police have not been able to track down the suspects,” the CPF said.
Western Cape police spokesperson Colonel André Traut confirmed that a large-scale manhunt has been launched following the fatal shooting of seven men, aged between 20 and 30, in Road 53, Better Life, Philippi East.
“Detectives attached to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit have been assigned to the case and are pursuing every available lead to identify and apprehend those responsible for this brutal attack,” Traut said.
Police management strongly condemned the killings and said the investigation has been prioritised to ensure the perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice.
Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General (Advocate) Thembisile Patekile expressed concern about the escalating violence and appealed to residents to assist police by sharing any information that could aid the investigation.
“Community cooperation is crucial in bringing those responsible to book and restoring safety to our neighbourhoods,” said Patekile.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the MySAPS mobile application. All information will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Anroux Marais also condemned the shooting.
“We cannot allow these killings to become the norm. Those responsible must face the full might of the law, and that includes those who put weapons in their hands.
“We need our communities to stand with us and stand together. The police cannot do this alone. If you see something, say something. We will not win this fight without your help,” said Marais.