Five dead, four wounded in suspected gang-related shootings in Muizenberg

• Five people have been shot dead and four others injured in Muizenberg.
• The shootings are believed to be gang-related.
• No arrests have been made.

Western Cape police are on the hunt for gunmen who killed five people and injured four others in suspected gang-related shootings in Muizenberg over the weekend.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie said detectives were probing the circumstances of at least four different shootings.

In the first incident, the bodies of a 15-year-old boy, an 18-year-old man, and a 25-year-old woman were found in the early hours of Saturday in Drakensberg Road, Hillview, Muizenberg.

"Muizenberg SAPS members were dispersed to the scene at about 05:45 after being alerted by community members. The members discovered the three bodies that had succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds to their heads.

"They were declared dead by medical personnel who attended the scene," Pojie said.

Hours later, another 15-year-old boy was killed, and a man was wounded in Woodpecker Street just after 14:30. 

"[The] wounded man was transported to hospital privately. Counts of murder and attempted murder will be investigated," Pojie added.

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In St Patricks Street, police said, gunmen were believed to have opened fire on a group of people, wounding three men. 

"The three [men] were also transported to the hospital privately. Three counts of attempted murder will be opened for further investigation," Pojie added.

He said that a 47-year-old man was found dead at Hillview Heights in Muizenberg just after 23:00.

"Allegations reveal that unknown suspects knocked at his door, and upon opening the door, he was shot multiple times in the back. He succumbed to gunshot wounds on the scene."

According to police, no arrests have been made, and the motives form part of an ongoing investigation. 

Acting chairperson of the Muizenberg community policing forum, Ashwin Abrahams, said the area was "volatile" and people were living in fear, especially those who walk to school or take public transport.

"The area has been relatively quiet for the past few months, then all of a sudden, this influx of gangs moved in and started shooting and causing mayhem in the area," he said, adding that the Junky Funky Kids (JFKs) and the Flakka gang were at war with each other over drugs, money, ammunition, turf and leadership. 

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Meanwhile, police have welcomed the lengthy jail sentences imposed on three key figures of the Flakka gang in the Western Cape High Court on Friday for various crimes in Muizenberg.

According to the police, detectives attached to the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) registered and launched a major investigation in 2019 into the Flakka gang and Jamiel Jacobs, aka "Charra", who was seen as a leader of the gang.

"The investigation sought to quell the continuous gang violence in the Muizenberg area at the time."

"This gang group was violent of nature and was shooting and killing several rival gang members randomly and traded in commodities such as drugs and firearms," said Pojie. 

AGU detectives traced Jacobs to Paarl, where he was hiding in a security complex, and arrested him.

On Friday, the following sentences were imposed on Jacobs and two others:

His co-accused, Simone Gordon, was sentenced for two counts of dealing in drugs to 10 years in jail, suspended for five years, and an additional 10 years.

A third accused, Dillon Walker, was sentenced to 10 years in jail for dealing in drugs.

Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile praised the investigating officer and detectives.

"The lengthy sentence meted against Jacobs will act as a deterrent to those involved in gang activities in this province," he said.