- Three men have been shot dead in Khayelitsha.
- The victims were shot in the early hours of Tuesday while sitting in a car.
- Police have since launched a manhunt for the suspects behind the killing.
Western Cape police have launched a manhunt for the suspects responsible for the murder of three men in Site C, Khayelitsha.
The three men were shot dead in the early hours of Tuesday, said police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa.
"Reports from the scene indicate that the deceased persons were sitting in a vehicle at approximately 02:00 in Mbekweni Street when shots were heard from nearby. Upon checking later, two bodies were found inside the vehicle and another outside," said Potelwa.
Community policing forum (CPF) spokesperson Phindile George said the organisation had been made aware of the murders, but did not have any information as to the motive for the killings.
"We are shocked, and we condemn this killing. We're calling on the community to work with SAPS in apprehending the suspects, and we are calling on SAPS to work to stabilise the situation in the community," he said.
The victims were between 30 and 40 years old.
"The identities of the deceased persons, the ownership of the vehicle and motive behind the shooting are the subject of a police investigation. Khayelitsha police have opened a triple murder docket for investigation," Potelwa added.
Khayelitsha is one of three Western Cape police precincts, classified as part of the "top 30 murder stations", to have seen a decrease in murder figures during the second quarter (July to September) of this year.
Khayelitsha saw a decrease from 94 cases in the first quarter to 55 in the second.
When the second quarter crime statistics were released last month, George said the decrease was in part due to increased police resources and collaborative operations between law enforcement agencies, as well as neighbourhood watch patrols.
"We are concerned whenever there is a killing, but for now, we can't say if there is an escalation in murders because we don't know the motives," he said.
Anyone with information that could assist the police investigation was urged to contact the police on 08600 10111.
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