Eight people were shot dead in three incidents in the sprawling Cape Town township of Khayelitsha in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
At the biggest of the crime scenes in Harare, the bodies of five people (four men and one woman) were found with gunshot wounds in Ncumu Street.
The residents of Harare say they have long suffered under the tyranny of a notorious group of suspected criminals, who had left a trail of devastation and fear. On Wednesday morning, however, it seems their reign of terror finally caught up with them.
Police spokesperson Colonel André Traut said preliminary investigations into the multiple murders led detectives to believe that two of the shooting incidents that preceded the one in Ncumu Street could be linked.
“At around 2.50am, an adult male and his adult girlfriend were shot and killed in Feza Street, Harare and, shortly after that, a 35-year-old male was shot and killed not far from the first scene.
“Three hours later, the murders in Ncumu Street were committed, possibly by the same suspects.”
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The killings happened days after Police Minister Bheki Cele visited Hanover Park in Cape Town to host a crime prevention imbizo on Sunday.
The meeting focused on addressing serious and violent crimes affecting the community and explored ways for the residents to work more closely with law enforcement to improve the police’s response time.
Daily Maverick understands about 10 to 12 murders are reported in the Western Cape every 24 hours. That number sometimes increases over weekends.
However, official police crime statistics are only released quarterly.
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A body lies in the road at a crime scene in Khayelitsha on 17 April 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. The police are still investigating the matter and no arrests have been made yet. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)
Harare scene
When Daily Maverick arrived on the scene in Harare, the body of Yibanathi Ncwanya (30) was lying on a footpath, covered with a white sheet. It appeared that he had been running away from his shooter.
His body was found near KwaMfundo High School, where learners were peeking through their classroom windows, trying to make sense of what was happening just beyond their school fence.
A few metres away from where Ncwanya’s body was found stood a shack that residents said used to be a church but had been taken over by suspected criminals. Inside the shack, four more bodies with gunshot wounds were discovered.
Local councillor Anele Gabuza said he knew some of the deceased; he claimed that they had been terrorising the community. His double-storey office was just a stone’s throw away from the scene.
“They would sometimes rob people of their cellphones and steal in the community,” he said. “I suspect this was a gang-related shooting or they were shot by someone they robbed. They were part and parcel of crime.”
He pleaded with the community to work with law enforcement agencies to combat crime.
As dawn broke over the township on Wednesday, residents said they felt a sense of relief.
A man, who gave his name only as Zuko, said for the first time in years, he would be able to walk the streets without fear, knowing that the people who were terrorising them were dead.
“That shack used to be our church,” Zuko said. “They chased us out and started using the place as their own.
“Death is not celebrated, but there is a sense of relief now. One of them was shot in the hip a few weeks back and has been in and out of jail, but that did not stop him from doing criminal activities,” he said.
Families mourn
Phumla Nkomane lost her two sons Nceba (41) and Collen (38) in the shooting. She said she heard from her sister about the incident.
“This is painful,” she said. “They were recovering drug addicts and worked at a car wash. This is painful to me.”
Yibanathi Ncanywa’s mother, Nolubabalo, said she did not know her son was a criminal.
“All I know is that he was smoking [drugs], but he always denied it. At home, he was a sweet child. I don’t know what to say about him, really, but this feels like a nightmare. I wish to wake up from it.”
Reagen Allen, the Western Cape MEC of police oversight and community safety, said the multiple murders were horrific and showed the little regard criminals had for life.
“It is wholly unacceptable, and I urge those with information to make it available to law enforcement agencies so that the perpetrators can be arrested and convicted. The moment communities get wind of any criminal plans, they should inform law enforcement so that it can be prevented.”
Traut said the motive for the attack was not yet known and appealed to the public for help. “Any person with information is kindly requested to contact Colonel Mthetho Maxabaniso on 082 339 7320 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111. The mobile application MySAPS can also be used anonymously.”
He said police would make more information available as the investigation unfolded. DM
