Mob kills 3 men, torch bodies in Kraaifontein

CAPE TOWN - In the face of rising violent crime, community members in Kraaifontein have seemingly taken the law into their own hands.

On Wednesday night, three men in their thirties were killed by a mob in Wallacedene and their bodies were set alight.

This follows a visit to the area by the national police commissioner on Wednesday, in response to three double murders on Tuesday.

Gun violence and gangsterism in Cape Town is plaguing several communities and this week, the police minister has been on a tour of some crime hotspots to get a first-hand account.

Despite more police deployment and a focus on the issue by high-ranking officials, the violence has not stopped.

The police’s Andre Traut has some details on the latest incident.

"Preliminary information suggests that the victims were accused by community members of criminal activity. Instead of allowing the law to take its course, they were violently attacked. The South African Police Service condemns vigilantism in the strongest possible terms."

The apparent vigilantism comes after Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia this week questioned whether police had a plan to combat gang violence.

He warned that law enforcement was behind the curve, as Cape Town continues to deal with a surge in gang-related shootings across the metro.