Three men were brutally gunned down in a harrowing incident that unfolded in Nyanga, Cape Town, this past weekend.
Nyanga triple murder motive linked to extortion
Cape Town police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut revealed the grim scene at Ntlangano Crescent in Nyanga unfolded at around 16:00 on Sunday, 15 October 2023, when three men were ambushed and shot dead by unidentified assailants.
The victims, who are yet to be identified, were found in chilling circumstances. One was found inside his white Toyota Avanza, another lay lifeless next to the vehicle, and the third was found in a tailoring business operating from a container on the street.
This brutal act is suspected to be linked to ongoing extortion activities or possibly a retaliation attack, according to the South African Police Service (SAPS) detectives and crime scene experts investigating the case.
“Any person who can shed light on the circumstances of the case is kindly requested to establish contact with SAPS by calling Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or by using the My SAPS mobile application. Callers may remain anonymous,” Col. Traut pleaded.
The Nyanga triple murder came on the heels of Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis’s recently launched Enough Is Enough campaign, aimed at combating the persistent extortion and the relentless demand for protection fees which have been a thorn in the side of progress in the region.
Highlighting the gravity of the extortion issue, a recent project for constructing new MyCiTi depots in Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain has been marred by multiple extortion attempts since May.
The campaign was launched at an extortion-impacted project site in Khayelitsha on Thursday. The R60-million project has been delayed by several weeks due to increased attacks by the so-called extortion mafia on construction workers at major building projects across the metro.
The campaign introduced by Mayor Hill-Lewis includes a 24-hour hotline and a rewards system to encourage residents to assist the city and authorities in tackling extortion.
The initiative aims to expedite the process of rooting out local extortionists by providing cash rewards for valuable tip-offs leading to arrest and prosecution.