As violent crime in Cape Town escalates, Mitchells Plain CPF warns that desperate communities may lash out

CAPE TOWN - The recent uptick in violent crime in Cape Town has communities on tenterhooks.

Police have confirmed in most of the recent cases, the shooting incidents have been related to extortion, taxi feuds and gang violence.

The Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum said as a result, innocent bystanders have had to bear the brunt of this violence.

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Taxi-related shooting incidents on Monday morning left two people dead in Philippi East and another person dead in Khayelitsha.

Six others were admitted to a hospital for medical treatment.

In another incident a few hours later, a man was shot and killed outside the Mitchells Plain Magistrate's Court, while a second man was left injured.

The shooting is believed to be gang-related.

Mitchells Plain CPF chairperson, Norman Jantjes, said that residents were growing frustrated with the current situation in the communities.

"There is this feeling of hopelessness within our community and a feeling of desperation, and I think it's not going to be long before the community starts taking to the streets."

Jantjes added that the rise in violent crime was pushing people to find help wherever they can get it.

"And I think this gang violence is already the main reason for the emergence of PAGAD. So, I don't support PAGAD, but I mean the situation necessitates or it creates a vacuum, a need for something out of the ordinary."

Last week, a three-month-old baby died after being shot in what’s believed to be a gang-related incident.

He was the youngest victim of gun violence in Cape Town last week.