Kalksteenfontein community gripped by gun violence: seven dead in just a week
Kalksteenfontein has seen seven murders in less than seven days
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A low level war is brewing in a tiny, poverty stricken community squeezed between the townships of Bishop Lavis and Bonteheuwel that has already claimed seven lives in just seven days.
In Kalksteenfontein, residents and police are speculating on what has given rise to the spate of gun violence. Residents fear shootings have become their daily reality and it is the innocent that are paying the price.
The latest incident occurred on Monday morning, 16 March, when two men, aged 18 and 22, were shot and killed in the early hours. According to police, the victims were discovered on Buttercup Street with multiple gunshot wounds to their upper bodies.
Police spokesperson Captain F.C. Van Wyk confirmed that officers in Bishop Lavis have opened two counts of murder following the incident.
“According to reports, three unidentified males approached the victims and randomly fired several shots before fleeing the scene. Crime scene experts are currently combing the area for clues,” Van Wyk said.
Following the shooting, Graham Lindhorst, chairperson of the Bishop Lavis Crime Prevention Forum, issued an urgent call to the South African Police Service, “Get a grip on crime, and particularly murders in the precinct,” he said, expressing deep concern over the continuing bloodshed.
Last week, a major incident occurred on Thursday evening, when three men were killed and four others wounded in a suspected gang-related shooting.
Reports state that a group of seven men were sitting outside a residence drinking at around 20:10 when a vehicle pulled up. Three armed men got out and began firing randomly at the group before fleeing the scene. Three men aged 40, 64 and 66 were declared dead on the scene, while four others were rushed to hospital for treatment.
Police have registered three counts of murder and four counts of attempted murder, with detectives from the Western Cape Anti-Gang Unit investigating. No arrests have been made.
Community leaders say the violence has left residents living in fear. Pastor Seth Oosthuizen, a community leader and executive member of the Kalksteenfontein Community Policing Forum, said two of the victims in Thursday’s shooting were elderly men who regularly attended his feeding scheme and had no links to gangs.
“They were not involved in any gang activities. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Oosthuizen said. “They were drinking at the house when another person who was being pursued ran in there. That is how they were shot.”
Oosthuizen said the shootings from surrounding areas are spilling over into Kalksteenfontein, destabilising the community. “The honest truth is that the majority of people are standing together against this gang violence, but there are also some who endorse it by not standing up. It’s time all of us stand up against it. Innocent people cannot continue to die like this.”
The Bishop Lavis Crime Prevention Forum condemned the shootings, extending condolences to the families of the deceased and calling for urgent law-enforcement intervention.
“We reiterate our call for decisive disruptive intervention from law enforcement to ensure law and order is restored,” the forum said.
Police have confirmed that deployments in the Bishop Lavis precinct have been increased to stabilise the area and prevent further violence. Investigations are ongoing as detectives work to identify the suspects responsible for both the Monday and Thursday shootings.