Cape Town - Police and other law enforcement agencies have been deployed to Manenberg to restore order after the killing of two alleged gangsters.
One of the men was identified as the leader of the Jesters gang and was shot in the head in a drive-by shooting, while the other was believed to be a member of the Americans gang.
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said law enforcement units would remain in the affected area until satisfied that calm had been restored.
These incidents come amid fears of revenge attacks after a prominent gangster Abdullah Boonzaier was shot dead over the weekend.
Boonzaier, the son of slain former Hard Livings leader Rashied Staggie, was shot in the head in a drive-by shooting while gambling with a group of men at Beatrix Court.
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi said police were investigating cases of murder and attempted murder.
“Upon arrival in Tagus Road, at around 3.30pm, they found the body of an unknown man near Lillian Court who sustained gunshot wounds to his body. The man, aged 47, was declared deceased on the scene by the medical personnel,” he said.
In a second, unrelated incident, a 27-year-old man was shot and wounded at Gail Court, just 15 minutes after the first incident. The man was transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment, Swaartboi said.
He said the motive for the attacks was unknown and the perpetrators were yet to be arrested.
Community activist Amina Abrahams said these shootings had brought instability to the tense community.
“The area is so volatile that you cannot just move around. With the load shedding, this is further causing frustration to the residents, as people’s places are now targeted. People can’t move to their destinations, they fear for their lives and we don’t know what to expect as these shootings happen any time of the day.
“In most cases, as experienced, it’s mostly innocent people that get affected, and now people are terrified of going to work, and kids to school. We must be alert at all times, as you can’t trust anyone, especially boys,” she said.
Manenberg CPF chairperson Vernon Visagie said in the past the deployment of metro police and police brought calm to the area, but after the metro police withdrew, the shootings flared up again.
He criticised police for failing to arrest the perpetrators, whom he said continually terrorised the community.
“The police keep on saying they will leave no stone unturned when these incidents occur, yet the stones they left unturned have turned into a mountain. These guys know the police modus operandi and, as such, they will continue disregarding the law and terrorising our communities,” Visagie said.