Cape Town – Lentegeur is once again grappling with the scourge of gang violence after a 19-year-old was fatally shot and two others wounded in a brazen attack on Friday. The Lentegeur Police are investigating a case of murder and two counts of attempted murder, with the motive believed to be gang-related.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed the details of the incident, stating: “Lentegeur police are investigating a murder and two counts of attempted murder following a shooting incident on Friday, 7 March at 4.10pm at the corner of Lilac and Linaria Street in Lentegeur, where a 19-year-old male was shot and fatally wounded and two others aged 18 and 17 injured.”
According to police reports, officers responded to a call of a shooting in progress at the mentioned address. Upon arrival, they found the 19-year-old victim dead at the scene, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body. The two other victims had been shot in the stomach and ankle respectively and were rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical treatment.
Van Wyk added that the suspects fled the scene on foot, with witnesses alleging that they arrived in a vehicle and on a motorbike.
The community is reeling from the attack, with allegations that the victims were innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire of gang warfare. Michael Jacobs, chairperson of the Lentegeur Community Police Forum (CPF), expressed his outrage and concern over the escalating violence.
Jacobs stated: “The community claimed that innocents were targeted. We as the Lentegeur CPF condemn the shooting in Lentegeur on Friday, 7 March 2025 in which a young man lost his life, and which left two others with bullet wounds.”
He further emphasised the devastating impact of the ongoing violence on the community, saying: “These senseless killings take a huge toll on our community, and we call upon the police and other law enforcement agencies to get a grip on these endless shootings."
The CPF is urging authorities to take decisive action to address the root causes of the violence and restore a sense of safety and security to the area. "We also call for more policing resources to be deployed to the area and renew our call to the City for the strategic fencing off of certain parks which has become the battlefield between opposing gangs,” Jacobs added.
Police are appealing to the public for assistance in identifying and apprehending the perpetrators of this heinous crime. Anyone with information about this fatal incident is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or alternatively use the mobile application MySAPS anonymously.
Adding to the climate of fear and unease, a separate video has surfaced online, purportedly showing a man desperately running for his life as multiple gunmen hunt him down. The attack, caught on CCTV footage, is believed to have taken place in Lentegeur as well.
The graphic video, which has been widely circulated on Facebook, shows a group of men scattering in all directions as they are pursued by armed gunmen. One man, wearing a red t-shirt, is shot and falls to the ground while the others manage to escape. The victim attempts to get up and continue running but is repeatedly shot as he is chased.
The victim falls again, and another gunman runs up to him as he lies defenceless on the ground, firing multiple shots at close range before the group flees the scene.
While the authenticity and location of the video are still being verified, the CPF's Michael Jacobs stated that he is not aware of the video.
