By Augustine Ehikioya
Worried by the massacre in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape Province on Wednesday evening of 03 November, 2021, the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Khehla John Sitole has ordered for the immediate mobilisation of the 72-hour Activation Plan.
The massacre had resulted in the death of four persons while five others were also injured.
This was contained in a statement issued by the National Commissioner’s Spokesperson, Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo, and made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA).
It reads “The National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Khehla John Sitole has called for the immediate mobilisation of the 72-hour Activation Plan with regards to a massacre in which four people were killed and five others wounded on Wednesday evening, 03 November, 2021, at Central in Gqeberha.
“Preliminary investigations at this point has revealed that at around 21h00 on the said evening, two unknown male suspects approached a group of perceived vagrants in an abandoned building in Clyde Street in Central. It is alleged that the suspects were in search of an unknown person whom they did not find and thereafter started firing shots at the group.
“Four victims, a woman and three (3) men sustained multiple gunshot wounds and succumbed to their injuries at the scene. Five other victims, a woman and four men were seriously wounded and rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention. The identities of the victims are yet to be determined.”
The statement also disclosed that the Police has launched a manhunt for the suspects while “an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this attack is underway. No arrests have been made at this stage.”
The National Commissioner, it said, has condemned the killings as cowardice and a blatant disregard for human life as well as the law.
General Sitole has urged the team of investigators to “track and trace the perpetrators in the quickest time possible.”
The statement added “Anyone who can assist in identifying the victims or tracing their next of kin or any information relating to the suspects is asked to please contact SAPS Humewood Detective, Warrant Officer Raubenheimer at 074 4306 048 or Crime Stop on 086 00 10111.
“Information can also be relayed via the MySAPSApp, an application which can be downloaded on any Android or iPhone.
“Informers may remain anonymous and all information will be treated with strictest confidence,” it stated.