Latest news with #LeonKnipe
IOL News
08-05-2025
- IOL News
Lentegeur residents demand action against escalating gang violence
Police are investigating cases of murder and attempted murder after two people were shot in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain. Image: Leon Knipe A community in Mitchells Plain is calling for drastic state intervention as gang-related gun violence continues to wreak havoc on the Cape Flats. The Lentegeur Community Police Forum (CPF) has now joined the Mitchells Plain CPF in demanding a commission of inquiry into gang violence and the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to stabilise affected areas. The renewed calls follow a deadly shooting on Wednesday night in Linaria Road, Lentegeur, in which a 42-year-old man was killed and a woman wounded. Michael Jacobs, chairperson of the Lentegeur CPF, said the situation has spiraled beyond what conventional policing can manage. 'We had another incident where one person was shot and declared deceased. Another was wounded,' Jacobs said. 'This ongoing violence and deadly shootings within the Lentegeur precinct… we want to once again reiterate the call that normal policing cannot continue under these current circumstances.' Jacobs said police resources remain stretched too thin to deal with the persistent gang warfare gripping the area. Police are investigating cases of murder and attempted murder after a two people were shot in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain. Image: Leon Knipe Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading 'We need to have an increase in policing resources to assist the station to deal with gang violence,' he said. 'We reiterated our call for the President to institute a commission of inquiry into gang violence on the Cape Flats. Under these abnormal circumstances, not only in Lentegeur but in most areas on the Cape Flats, we are plagued with gang violence and deadly shootings. We call for the immediate deployment of the SANDF to act as a stabiliser.' He stressed that the time for bureaucratic meetings and discussions has passed and warned that action, not promises, is now required. 'We are way past having meetings or conferences for taking resolutions,' he said. 'It is time for the South African Police Services management on provincial and national level, together with the MEC of Community Safety and the national police minister and the deputies, to come to Lentegeur and other communities affected by gun violence.' 'It should not only be a talk shop. We want a commitment that resources will be deployed to the affected communities and that there will be change.' According to police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg, detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting. 'Lentegeur police are investigating the circumstances which led to a shooting incident in Linaria Road, Lentegeur, on Wednesday evening,' Twigg said. 'According to reports, the victim was driving in his vehicle when he came under attack. The 42-year-old male sustained gunshot wounds to his body and was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel, while the female victim sustained a gunshot wound to her leg and was taken to a medical facility for medical treatment.' Twigg added that the motive for the attack is still unknown, and the suspects remain at large and that cases of murder and attempted murder have been opened for investigation.
IOL News
07-05-2025
- IOL News
Mitchells Plain community demands inquiry into escalating gang violence
Police are investigating a double murder and attempted murder after three males were shot in Mitchells Plain. Image: Leon Knipe The Mitchells Plain Community Police Forum (CPF) has issued an urgent call for a commission of inquiry into gang-related violence, following a deadly shooting in Tafelsig that claimed the lives of two teenagers and left another critically wounded. The mass shooting took place on Tuesday night, May 6, at the corner of Platteklip Street and Cable Way, Tafelsig. According to police reports, the victims—two males aged 18 and 19—were gunned down while standing in the road. A third male was seriously injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. Police say a Toyota Etios drove past the group and opened fire before fleeing the scene. The attack is believed to be gang-related. As residents of Mitchells Plain reel from yet another violent incident, the CPF's call for structural interventions, accountability, and community mobilisation underscores the urgency of addressing the deep-rooted causes of gang violence. Chairperson of the Mitchells Plain CPF, Norman Jantjies, said the community is under siege and the violence is affecting households across the suburb. He has called for urgent collaboration between law enforcement agencies and residents to tackle the spiralling crisis. 'We as the CPF are very concerned because these shootings and killings are going on unabated, and it looks like it is the whole of Mitchells Plain that is affected,' said Jantjies. 'We feel more needs to be done by the law enforcement agencies. We need increased visibility and profiling of all the gangsters and make sure that we have the number plate detection and cameras. We note that most shooters drive to their targets.' Jantjies lamented the community's reluctance to come forward as witnesses, citing fear and intimidation. He argued that surveillance technology, such as license plate recognition and street cameras, could help close the information gap and assist police in identifying suspects. 'We have a problem with people refusing to be witnesses. We need cameras to assist us in identifying the perpetrators,' he said. A mass shooting in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain has left two people dead and another taken to hospital. Image: Leon Knipe The CPF is also developing a long-term anti-gang strategy with stakeholders across sectors. Jantjies emphasised that this issue must transcend political divisions and be approached as a collective community crisis. 'We are saying that the Mitchells Plain community is developing a gang strategy, we want everybody to come on board. We should not look into this politically—everybody must sit down at the table, this is not just going to go away,' he said. 'This impacts every household in Mitchells Plain. We repeat our call that we need a commission of inquiry to look into this ongoing gang violence that we are faced with. It goes right from prevention and detection to prosecution.' The CPF chair also expressed frustration over a pattern of cases being withdrawn in court, allowing perpetrators to escape justice. 'We have another problem of cases being withdrawn at court, and this means that people are getting away with murder,' Jantjies said. Western Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed the details of Tuesday's shooting and said investigations are under way. 'The circumstances surrounding a shooting incident on Tuesday night, 6 May 2025, on the corner of Platteklip Street and Cable Way, Tafelsig, Mitchell's Plain, where two males aged 18 and 19 were shot and fatally wounded and another male shot and wounded, are under investigation,' Twigg said.
IOL News
05-05-2025
- IOL News
Two police officers among six killed in a violent weekend
Two female police officers were fatally shot in separate incidents over the weekend, along with four others in a spate of violence to take over Cape Town. Image: File Police in the Western Cape is mourning the murder of two female members who were fatally shot in separate incidents over the weekend, along with four others in a spate of violence to take over Cape Town. In the first incident involving a SAPS member on Saturday morning, the body of the 31-year-old off-duty constable stationed at the Bishop Lavis Police Station was discovered in her car in Langa. Police spokesperson, Novela Potelwa, said the Hawks is investigating the case. 'The 31-year-old female constable who was attached to Bishop Lavis SAPS, was discovered in her vehicle close to a primary school in Bennie Street with gunshot wounds. "When she left her home in Kraaifontein on [Friday] night after knocking off duty, she was heading to an evening church service in Langa. "Directorate for Priority Crime (Hawks) detectives have initiated a murder investigation with no arrests effected yet,' said Potelwa. A 31-year-old female constable who was attached to Bishop Lavis SAPS was discovered dead in her vehicle. Image: Leon Knipe Sub-council chairperson, Angus Mckenzie, conveyed his condolences to the victim's family. "The officer, a well-liked and respected member of SAPS was off duty at the time and was found in the vehicle [Saturday] morning. "Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and her colleagues and the great policing family. The killing of any officer is tantamount to terrorism and such actions require nothing less than the full might of the law brought against the perpetrators,' said Mckenzie. Later on Saturday, social media users reacted with shock to footage of two women shot in a parking lot next to the Gatesville Mosque in Athlone, allegedly with a baby in the car. The video depicted one woman deceased outside a white VW Polo with the back door of the car open, and the other woman lying nearby as bystanders looked on. A woman is seen opening the boot of the car, taking out what a appears to be a baby blanket, which she used to cover the deceased woman. A 35-year-old female administrative clerk gunned down in Gatesville. Image: Leon Knipe Police spokesperson, Malcolm Pojie, confirmed the deceased woman was a 35-year-old administrative clerk at the Kraaifontein SAPS, and a 56-year-old woman was also wounded in the shooting and taken to a medical facility for treatment. 'Athlone police subsequently registered a murder and attempted murder case which will be probed by detectives attached to the Anti-Gang Unit. "Preliminary information suggests that two armed men accosted the deceased as she and the injured woman alighted the vehicle they were travelling in," Pojie said. Separately, four people were killed in shootings and innocent bystanders, including an 8-year-old girl, were wounded across the Cape Flats. Pojie said Philippi police registered a murder and two attempted murder cases following a shooting on Friday at Agulhas Court in Hanover Park. "Members were summoned to a hospital in Heideveld where the body of a 33-year-old deceased man was pointed out by medical personnel. He sustained a gunshot wound to the chest. "Members also found an 8-year-old girl and an adult male who were admitted with gunshot wounds which they sustained as innocent bystanders. Their condition were described as stable. "The suspects are unknown and yet to be arrested.' This as the community of Clarke Estate, Elsies River, are fearing gang retaliation after three people were killing in shootings on Thursday evening. The three died of gunshot wounds to the head and Pojie confirmed the motive for the attack is regarded as gang-related. 'Elsies River SAPS registered three counts of murder and one of attempted murder following the death of three men between the ages 17 and 40 and injury to a 21-year-old man during a shooting incident which occurred in Flack Road, Clarke Estate, Elsies River on Thursday, at about 8:45pm. "Detectives attached to the Anti-Gang Unit are probing the circumstances surrounding this incident.' A community activist said: 'It is possible that [those who were shot and killed] was en route to do a killing as well. One of the deceased was Muslim, it was his funeral on [Saturday]. His body was carried down the road and Terrible gangsters were following openly with guns claiming his blood will be avenged."
