Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Mayor Calls for Swift Arrests Following Khayelitsha Barber Shop Shooting

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has strongly condemned the recent barber shop shooting in Site C, Khayelitsha, which resulted in the tragic deaths of four people, including three children aged 11, 12, and 4 years old. An additional three children sustained injuries in the attack.

Courtesy of: City of Cape Town

In a statement, Mayor Hill-Lewis extended the city's deepest condolences to the affected families and called for swift justice. "This brazen and ruthless mass shooting was well-organised, well-armed, and undertaken by criminals who, at this stage, do not fear the police. This situation must change by ensuring arrests and convictions," he asserted.

The mayor urged the South African Police Service (SAPS) to utilise all available resources to apprehend the perpetrators. He emphasised the potential value of community information in tracing these gangsters and ensuring justice for the young victims. Hill-Lewis encouraged anyone with information to contact the City's anti-extortion hotline at 0800 00 6992.

Alderman JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, highlighted the broader issues contributing to such crimes, including inadequate detective resources and the slow pace of modernisation within the SAPS. He called for a stronger partnership between SAPS and the City's investigative units to dismantle criminal extortion syndicates effectively. ‘I also reiterate our previous calls for the devolution of investigative and crime intelligence powers to the City's enforcement services to allow us to step up where the national government has let SAPS down with inadequate resources and capacity. Allow the City to step up and help’, said Smith.

Done by: Veerle Kroon

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