Hiiraan Online

Cape Town - As extortionists continue to terrorise the Gugulethu area, a 26-year-old Somali shopkeeper was shot and killed on Friday at NY 132.

This was the second incident in a week following yet another killing on Tuesday of another shopkeeper at NY 130, a neighbourhood watch member said.

Although not related, the incidents follow traders in the area last week having received letters, purportedly from the extortionists, demanding payment for protection.

This letter, which was circulated online, left a lot of traders rattled.

This is also not the first time that Somalian shopkeepers found themselves at the receiving end of these extortionist rackets.

Last year, two other shopkeepers were gunned down in the area.

Gugulethu is currently number six in the top 30 murder police stations list in the province following an increase in murders from 47 to 50 in the October and December 2022 reporting period.

This was a count difference of three more incidents compared with the same reporting period in 2021.

Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said the circumstances surrounding a shooting where a 26-year-old man was shot and fatally wounded were under investigation.

Twigg said a murder case was registered for investigation.

“According to reports, Gugulethu police attended to a complaint of a shooting. On arrival at the scene they found the victim with a gunshot wound to the head. The victim was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel,” he said.

Twigg said the unknown suspects fled the scene and were yet to be arrested.

One of the executive members of the CPF, who asked not to be named, said people were unarmed and vulnerable and that the state must lead the fight against extortion.

“We are dealing with people who are faceless and dangerous and have become brazen. The issue of safety is a priority before anything else. We are also thankful that there is a toll-free number that has been provided to report these incidents but we wouldn’t want our structures to be exposed to this and in the end be victims.

“We also can’t advocate for people to defend themselves and in the process start a civil war where the law would be compromised.

“We have seen how brutal these people have become when there is any pushback against their demands, they shoot to kill,” he said.

Regarding the traders who received protection fee letters last week, the CPF member said some of them had ceased trading as they feared for their lives.

Anyone with any information about the shooting incident is requested to contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111.