Two men and a woman were found dead in a car in Montrose Park with bullet wounds today, on Wednesday, November 12.
Lentegeur police spokesperson Constable Navon van Houten confirmed that at 6.40am, a grey Polo was found parked in the road near the corner of Park Road and Hillcrest Street, also known as The Farm.
“Police saw the three people inside without any signs of life. An ambulance was called to the scene and declared the occupants all deceased,” he said.
It is alleged that the car was dumped. The woman was found in the boot of the car. There were no visible cartridges on the scene. The community reported hearing gunshots, but no witnesses have come forward yet, said Constable Van Houten.
Lentegeur Community Police Forum (CPF) chairperson Michael Jacobs said the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the bodies in the vehicle are deeply concerning and remain under police investigation.
“We call on detectives and senior officers to fully investigate why three bodies ended up in a car, and to determine where these murders actually took place,” he said.
“Preliminary findings show there were no casings at the scene, which suggests that the victims may have been killed elsewhere and their bodies brought to Montrose Park. This shows a level of planning that must not go unpunished,” he said.
“We cannot allow murders and gun violence to continue unchecked. The police need to increase patrols, strengthen their search operations, and conduct constant roadblocks and stop-and-searches. There must be visible policing and real consequences for those who terrorise our communities across the Cape Flats.”
In an unrelated incident, an empty taxi van was found unattended on Friday, November 7, in Samantha Street, Montrose Park, with more than 40 cartridges recovered at the scene.
Constable Van Houten said a 15-year-old girl who was a bystander and not in the taxi ran from the gunfire as shots were fired. When police arrived, she came forward and reported being shot. She was hit in her leg but refused medical assistance.
Authorities are investigating the incident, which is believed to be linked to recent gang-related violence in Montrose Park.
Earlier this month, two people were killed in a mass shooting in Montrose Park in the early hours of Saturday, November 1. Mr Jacobs said at least one of the men was a known gangster and a “problem” in the area.
In another case, a 30-year-old man died in a house fire in Terence Macaw Street, Woodlands, on Saturday, October 31. A burnt body was also found behind the Lentegeur police station on Sunday, November 2.
“An inquest docket has been opened for the burnt body. No foul play or gang affiliation is suspected,” said Constable Van Houten.
“Police received a call about a burnt body, and detectives are still awaiting further feedback from the investigation.”
Police also arrested ten men after receiving a tip-off about a hijacked van. On Sunday, November 2, police located the red VW van hijacked in Athlone, parked in Watt Court, Woodlands, with suspected gang members.
Three firearms were recovered, including a 9mm Norinco pistol, a 9mm Taurus pistol, and a Glock pistol with several live rounds. The men, aged between 20 and 36, appeared in the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, November 4.
Police urged residents to remain alert and report crimes directly to 10111 or Lentegeur SAPS, rather than through community crime groups.