The horror in Dunoon has taken a dark new turn, with a ward councillor saying residents believe the four men who were burned beyond recognition were suspects in a string of alleged gang rapes that have terrorised the community since June.
The bodies were discovered on Sunday in an open field next to the N7 off-ramp on Malibongwe Drive. Milnerton police were called to the scene, where they found the remains of four people.
Western Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa confirmed the victims had been burned beyond recognition.
"Determinations were made based on the crime scene that tyres were used to set the victims alight. The circumstances surrounding the crime incident remain unclear and the motive is yet to be determined."
"A murder docket was opened for investigation by serious violent crime unit detectives."
"A syndicate has been operating since 15 June"
Dunoon ward councillor Bulelwa Mayende said residents believe the killings are linked to allegations of a gang rape in the community. She said reports of women being targeted by unknown men had been doing the rounds in the area since June.
"The circumstances surrounding the incident are alleged to be linked to a gang rape."
"A syndicate has been operating in the community of Dunoon ever since 15 June, which is the first time I have heard of such an incident in which a woman was gang-raped. It has been ongoing since then."
"I think that is where the residents have decided to take it upon themselves, which we do not condone."
But Mayende was careful to stress that nothing has been confirmed.
"It is alleged that the four men who were torched were suspects of the crime that was committed, but as a ward councillor, I cannot confirm that these four are indeed linked to the gang rape, which is alleged to have happened, but we are waiting on law enforcement agencies to tell us what has transpired on the identification on the four men who were burned on Sunday."
"The men have not yet been identified by the families as they are burned beyond recognition."
"One van for the whole of Dunoon"
Mayende said she believes pure frustration over a lack of policing resources pushed residents to take matters into their own hands.
"It happened before where the community felt disgruntled and felt that their voices were not being heard, particularly by law enforcement. I must say that SAPS is doing very little."
"They have confirmed that they don't have resources. On Saturday, there was a shooting of two and when I contacted Milnerton SAPS, I was told they only have one van available to service the entire Dunoon."
She said criminals in the area have even worked out the best time to strike.
"When we look at the crime incidents during the day, we notice that they happen between 5pm and 6pm, when it is shift change, because they know there will only be one van in Dunoon, so they can do whatever they want around that time."
"Milnerton is doing very little; nothing to say the least."
When asked to comment on the councillor's claims, provincial spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk referred the Daily Voice to Potelwa's initial statement on the incident.
The four men remain unidentified. No arrests have been announced.
