22 fatalities by gunshot wound this past weekend, Children amongst the victims

Today, the Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, expressed his shock and anger at news of continuing gun violence in Cape Town, which culminated in the death of three persons in Delft last night, and the serious injury of two, one of whom was a 13-year old girl. This news comes on the back of news of young children who were shot and killed over the weekend in Beacon Valley, Mitchells Plain. At this stage, the incidents appear to be gang-related.

The victims form part of a total of 22 fatalities by gunshot wound over the weekend in the Cape Town city. There were also three fatalities by sharp object, which would include stab wounds.

Minister Fritz said, “I condemn these killings, especially those of children, by gangsters in the strongest possible terms. We know that gangsters use children to do much of their work, and this must stop. We are placing the lives of our children in serious danger. I call on the South African Police Service to do everything in their power to arrest the perpetrators of this heinous act.”

Minister Fritz continued, “I would also like to extend my sincere condolences to the parents and family of victims at this time. Losing a loved one imposes the ultimate sense of loss on one, and losing a child is the worst nightmare that any parent can go through.”

Minister Fritz concluded, “the time for us to come together as a community and as a society is now. We need to fight this scourge of gangsterism and violence together. I appeal to anybody with information that will assist the SAPS to please come forward.”

Source: Government of South Africa