ATHLONE
TUESDAY 12 April 2016 | 0021 910 6500 | Fax: 021 910 6501/06 | Email: post@peoplespost.co.za
MANENBERG
Thirteen killed in a week
G
It’s a dog’s life Hundreds of dog owners and their fourlegged friends joined SPCA for the annual Purina Woefie Wandel held at D’Aria Wine Estate in Durbanville on Sunday 10 April. Pictured is Catherine Pritchard and her dog Jessie, from Strandfontein, who took a breather after the walk. PHOTO: CARINA ROUX
ang violence has ripped Manenberg to shreds this last week as a total of 13 people have been killed in ongoing clashes. In the latest incident, a 33-yearold man was killed in Tibas Street. His body was found in the early hours of yesterday (Monday) morning after shots were heard in the area. According to Lieutenant Ian Bennett, spokesperson for Manenberg police, the area has now been saturated with police as well as the City of Cape Town’s Metro Police and Law Enforcement’s Stabilisation Unit. “The only way to stop the gang conflict is to get the community actively involved in crime prevention, reporting all criminal activity. The community mindset need to change to be able to address the gang situation fully,” states Bennett. Six firearms have been confiscated since the start of the conflict through ongoing operations. In a separate incident, two men were arrested in connection with the murder of a 23-year-old man at Isobel Court on Sunday. He was shot seven times after his body was found by passers by in the early hours of the morning. It is alleged that the victim was busy gambling before deciding to walk home alone. Bennett says the flare-up in vio-
lence has dated back to Friday 1 April when the conflict started between the Dixi gang and the Hard Livings gang. Another 23-year-old man died in hospital after he was shot while trying to flee the initial shooting. Ten more men, aged between 18 and 43 years of age, were killed in separate incidents from Saturday 2 to Friday 8 April. Bennett says that the steep increase in violence has made Manenberg unstable once again. Another 15 people have been arrested for possession of drugs, while eight have been arrested for possession of firearms. One was arrested for the negligent loss of a firearm. Police also confiscated 451 sticks of dagga as well as 309 mandrax tablets. Stolen goods to the value of R250 000 were also seized after police followed up information leading them to an address in Renoster Road. It was found that the truck in which the loot was stashed was stolen in Hout Bay. “The goods were positively identified by the rightful owner. The circumstances of how the truck was stolen is not known,” adds Bennett. Eight suspects, aged between 21 and 46, were arrested for the theft and will appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s court. V Anyone with information regarding any criminal activity can contact Manenberg police station on 021 699 9400 or Crime Stop 08600 10111.