Man held for triple murder in Manenberg crackdown

A POLICE crackdown in Manenberg following weeks of violence has led to the arrest of a 27-year-old man for a triple murder.

Despite this, a 16-yearold was shot dead and three people wounded in suspected gang violence on Tuesday.

Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said: “We can confirm a shooting incident at Matilda Court, Manenberg, where three people, aged 15, 24 and 27, were injured and a 16-year-old boy was killed.

“According to reports, an unidentified suspect walked into Matilda Court and randomly shot at the unsuspecting residents.

“The suspect fled the scene on foot.”

Police said the 27-year-old arrested on Tuesday would appear in court on a charge of being in possession of a firearm when they arrested him for the triple murder.

“He was sought by the Manenberg Serious and Violent Crimes Unit for the shooting of five males in Rhone Walk on April 30,” Van Wyk said.

The youngest murder victim was 16.

“The 16-year-old succumbed to his injuries on the scene. The other two men died of their injuries in hospital.

“An additional two charges will also be added as investigation continues in stopping gang violence within the Manenberg policing precinct,” Van Wyk said.

Police said they would continue their clampdown on gang-related crimes, which had also secured another arrest – that of a 19-year-old suspect for the possession of a firearm and ammunition on Tuesday afternoon.

“Members of Manenberg SAPS deployed in the hot-spot areas to combat gang violence were busy with high-density patrols, doing stop-andsearches, when they saw the suspect in Thames Walk, Manenberg.

“He was stopped and searched and members found a firearm, including 15 9mm rounds in the magazine,” Van Wyk said.

Manenberg Community Police Forum chairperson Abdul Kader said they were pleased that firearms were being taken out of the area.

“We need more to be done in terms of getting the weapons out of our area.

“We know that the shootings are taking place in a very confined area of Manenberg. We want the police to cordon off that area day after day and remove the weapons by carrying out raids,” Kader said.

In Mitchells Plain, police arrested three suspects for drug possession.

“On Tuesday at about 4pm members received a complaint of drugs at a premises in Peugeot Crescent, Beacon Valley. Members searched the premises and confiscated three big packets of tik with a weight of 303 grams,” Van Wyk said.

Police arrested two men, aged 22 and 46, for possession of tik.