Rasaad Adams|Published
A deadly surge in gang shootings in Bonteheuwel has raised questions about what is driving the violence, with a local councillor claiming the attacks are aimed at destabilising the community ahead of the elections, while a community leader says gangs are fighting over the drug trade.
The violence has escalated over the past two weeks, with a man gunned down in Loganberry Street on Sunday afternoon and two other people reportedly wounded in shootings on Saturday.
Councillor Angus McKenzie believes the attacks are coordinated, but his claims of political motives have been challenged by a community leader who says the shootings are linked to rival gangs fighting for control.
Deadly shootings in Bonteheuwel
According to the councillor, a man was gunned down in Loganberry Street on Sunday afternoon, while on Saturday, two people were reportedly shot and injured and transported to a nearby hospital.
SAPS was approached for comment on Saturday’s shootings and the arrest, but no response had been received at the time of publication.
“Over the last two weeks, shootings in Bonteheuwel have escalated tremendously. And not escalated under the common gang rivalries, but escalated across the community. Different gangs fighting amongst each other and against each other,” McKenzie said on Sunday.
Councillor suspects coordinated attacks ahead of elections
McKenzie says he finds the timing of the violence suspicious, with the elections just weeks away.
“It is extremely coincidental that two or three weeks before the elections, these coordinated shootings and attacks between unknown gang foes show their ugly head.
“This has led me and many people to believe that indeed these shootings are a coordinated attempt to destabilise Bonteheuwel.
“It is very clear to us from consistently looking at crime stats that over the last five to six years Bonteheuwel has not only removed itself from the top 30 worst areas and policing precincts in the country, but also in the Western Cape.”
McKenzie credited cooperation between residents and law enforcement for the improvement, saying his dedicated tip-off line had helped community members share information about suspected criminals.
Community leader disputes political motive
However, a community leader who asked to remain anonymous rejected McKenzie’s claims that the violence was politically motivated, saying it was linked to competition over the area’s drug trade.
“There is no politics here. He must get it into his mind. These are gangsters fighting for the huge drug trade in Bonteheuwel. So now it’s time for revenge killings,” the source said.
The community leader named the Americans, Fancy Boys, Hard Livings (HLs), Dicksy Boys, Yakhees and JFK as groups allegedly fighting for a share of the drug trade.