An alleged gang leader and his 11-year-old son were shot and killed in Lavender Hill, Cape Town, sparking fear of retaliation in the community.
On Friday, a 42-year-old Fast Gun gang leader, Cheslin Nelson was shot and killed with his 11-year-old son in their home in Shepherd Road.
Captain FC van Wyk said another man was injured in the arrack. The motive could be gang related.
Community activist Howard Soetwater said gang violence in the area is getting out of control, and he fears retaliation from rival gangs will erupt very soon.
Soetwater said he was told by the family member of the deceased that a man known to them entered the house on Friday afternoon and opened fire, killing the 42-year-old gang leader, his 11-year-old son and injuring another minor, aged about 6.
“It was apparently gang related and the alleged perpetrator was released from prison a few weeks ago,” claimed Soetwater.
“We are scared. The killing of the leader of the Fast Gun gang has brought immense fear among us as residents because we don’t know when the retaliation shooting will begin. The community is unstable and quite frightened about these ongoing killings. We need urgent intervention by police and government because as long as there are gangs around, the senseless killings will continue,” Soetwater said.
Soetwater said Nelson was a gang leader for many years and there have always been hits put out for him.
“These gang fights over territory, leadership and drugs, and its sad because when they are fighting, innocent people are caught in the crossfire. We have had several marches to the Steenberg police station to hear what proposals they are putting in place to curb the crime in the area, but we have still not seen anything,” said Soetwater.
Gavin Walbrugh, the chairperson of the community policing forum called on the community to remain calm. he said although more police are expected to be deployed to the area the community members were “edgy” with fears of retaliation.
“These retaliation attacks happen after the burial, but the area remains tense,” Walbrugh said.
Source: News24, IOL, image from IOL: Ayanda Ndamane/ African News Agency (ANA)