Two 43-year-old men have been shot dead in separate incidents in Bonteheuwel and Dunoon, Cape Town, within hours of each other.
Police have not indicated that the cases are connected, and no arrests have been made.
The two killings have nevertheless renewed concerns about the toll of repeated shootings on communities already dealing with gang violence, illegal firearms and ongoing trauma.
The first shooting took place in Bonteheuwel on Tuesday night.
At about 11.06pm, a 43-year-old man was shot multiple times in Jakkalsvlei Avenue.
Bishop Lavis police were called to the scene and found the victim with several gunshot wounds.
Medical personnel declared him dead at the scene.
Provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that a murder investigation had been opened.
Twigg said detectives were working to establish what happened and identify those responsible.
“The circumstances surrounding this incident are under investigation and no arrests have been made,” he said.
Ward councillor Angus McKenzie said there was limited information available about the shooting, but indicated that it appeared to be gang-related.
Police have not confirmed the alleged gang connection or released a possible motive.
The investigation will need to establish whether the victim was specifically targeted, whether the shooting was linked to an ongoing dispute and whether anyone else was present when the gunfire erupted.
The second shooting happened several hours later in Dunoon.
At about 7.30am on Wednesday, another 43-year-old man was shot dead at the Dunoon Taxi Rank.
Milnerton South African Police Service members responded to the scene and found the man dead.
He is believed to have been a taxi driver.
Provincial police spokesperson Thembakazi Mpendukana confirmed that a murder case was being investigated.
The motive remains unknown, and no arrests have been made.
The police investigations into both shootings are continuing separately.
Investigators are expected to examine the scenes, speak to witnesses and review any available CCTV or cellphone footage that could help identify the attackers.
In Bonteheuwel, detectives may focus on the movements of the victim before the shooting and whether the gunman fled on foot or in a vehicle.
In Dunoon, the fact that the killing happened at a taxi rank could mean that commuters, drivers, operators and nearby businesses may have information about what happened.
The taxi-rank shooting also raises questions about whether the victim was attacked while arriving for work, preparing to transport passengers or involved in a dispute.
Those details have not been confirmed by police.
The two killings have placed additional pressure on residents who say they are repeatedly exposed to gun violence in public spaces and residential areas.
Fight Against Crime South Africa said the incidents reflected the strain that violent crime was placing on communities.
The organisation described Cape Town as a city where residents were increasingly exposed to death and trauma.
“Cape Town is a graveyard. This is not a slogan. This is our reality. We are exhausted. We are angry. We are heartbroken. Our volunteers and reporters wake up to blood on the streets every day.
“This city is traumatised. Our children are walking to school past crime scenes.
“This is not normal, and we refuse to accept it as normal. Where is the visible policing? Where are the resources for the Cape Flats?
“Cape Town is dying,” the organisation said.
The group called for stronger visible policing and practical interventions to protect residents.
Its proposals included functioning CCTV cameras, improved street lighting and trauma support for communities affected by violent crime.
It also criticised the national government’s response to gang violence and illegal firearms, saying communities needed action rather than further statements.
The organisation’s comments reflect broader frustration in areas where residents see shootings happening repeatedly but feel that investigations and arrests do not provide enough reassurance.
However, the motive and circumstances of both latest killings remain under investigation.
Police have not said whether the Bonteheuwel victim and the Dunoon victim knew each other or whether the shootings were carried out by the same people.
The timing alone does not establish a connection between the cases.
Each murder investigation will have to be supported by evidence, including forensic findings, witness accounts and information about the victims’ last movements.
In Bonteheuwel, the alleged gang link raised by the ward councillor will need to be tested by detectives.
Gang-related shootings can involve complex disputes over territory, retaliation or control of criminal activity, but police have not publicly identified any suspects or confirmed any of those motives in this case.
In Dunoon, the possible taxi connection may lead investigators to examine whether the killing was connected to taxi-industry tensions, a personal dispute or another criminal matter.
Again, there is no confirmed motive at this stage.
The police response to the two scenes will also be examined as part of the investigations.
Crime-scene officers may collect cartridge casings, inspect nearby buildings for bullet damage and identify cameras that could have captured the attacks or the suspects’ escape routes.
Residents who heard the gunshots or saw people running from either scene may also be asked to provide statements.
The availability and quality of CCTV footage could be important, particularly in Dunoon, where the taxi rank is used by large numbers of people and may be surrounded by shops, roads and transport facilities.
The cases also demonstrate how victims can be killed at very different times and locations within the same city while communities experience the same fear and uncertainty.
A late-night shooting in a residential avenue and a morning killing at a taxi rank both leave residents questioning whether any public place is safe.
For families, the immediate priority is identifying what happened and securing justice for the people who were killed.
The victim in Bonteheuwel was declared dead at the scene after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.
The man killed in Dunoon was also found dead when police arrived.
Their identities have not been released in the supplied police statements.
Police may appeal to anyone with information to come forward as the investigations progress.
Information about suspicious vehicles, people seen near the scenes, threats made before the shootings or possible disputes involving the victims could assist detectives.
The anti-crime organisation’s calls for better lighting, CCTV and visible policing are likely to add to pressure on authorities to respond to the concerns of Cape Flats communities.
But practical measures will need to be combined with effective investigations, witness protection and action against illegal firearms if residents are to feel safer.
For now, the two murder cases remain open, with no arrests and no confirmed link between the Bonteheuwel and Dunoon shootings.
Detectives are working to establish who killed the two 43-year-old men, why they were targeted and whether anyone else was involved.
Until those questions are answered, residents and families are left dealing with another night and morning of violence in a city already exhausted by repeated killings.