Western Cape detectives from the Serious and Violent Crimes Unit are investigating the murders of three people who were shot and killed in Delft.
Two men, aged 28 and 30, and a 27-year-old woman were killed on Thursday morning by suspects who allegedly used a vehicle to flee the scene.
“Information at our disposal suggests that the suspects fled the murder scene in Beethoven Street in a silver Opel Astra sedan after opening fire at the victims with an assault rifle and a pistol around 1am while they were walking in the street,” police spokesperson Andrè Traut said.
The motive for the attack is yet to be determined.
The serious and violent crimes unit is now appealing to the public to come forward with any information that can assist them in their investigation.
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen said it was alarming that the criminals used an assault rifle in the attack.
“The continued flow of illegal weapons requires immediate and urgent intervention. Not only should those who committed these crimes be charged, but also those who place the firearms in the hands of criminals.
“The entire supply chain has to be interrupted if we’re going to overcome this continued evil that is plaguing our society. We have already doubled LEAP deployment in the area to strengthen SAPS’ hand in the fight against crime. Residents are reminded that they can be rewarded with up to R5000 if they inform us on 0214660011 of the whereabouts of illegal firearms,” said Allen.
Delft activist Charles George said there was much work that needed to be done in the area and this required people who had a vision and could execute the plan.
“This year has been very challenging in terms of the level of murders and crime in the area. It is sad that we are in the festive season and blood continues to flow in our street. We are not sure yet if the shooting was gang related. We expect police and law enforcement to be visible in hotspot areas like Delft to prevent such incidents,” said George.
The latest crime statistics show that Delft again topped the list in terms of murders, mainly as a result of gang violence. Authorities in Delft recorded 80 murders between July and September 2023, topping both the provincial and national crime statistics.
Anyone with information on the incident can anonymously contact Crime Stop on 0860010111, or SMS Crime Line on 32211.