WATCH | Police praise bystanders who chased Cape Town petrol station killers

08 April 2019 - 11:59 By DAVE CHAMBERS
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Four men accused of a gang-related execution in Cape Town on Saturday were caught thanks to members of the public who gave chase, police said on Monday.

The bystanders chased the gunmen's hijacked car and alerted police about which direction it was heading after the shooting in Kenilworth, said Western Cape police spokesperson Lt-Col Andre Traut.

"The K-9 unit was quick to respond and, after a high-speed car chase which ended in Jakes Gerwel Drive in Goodwood, the four suspects were arrested," said Traut.

He said police had to shoot at the tyres of the gold Toyota Avanza, which had been hijacked in Kleinvlei, to make it stop.

The men in the vehicle opened fire on police, said Traut, and would face attempted murder charges in the Goodwood Magistrate's Court, as well as charges related to unlicensed firearms and hijacking.

The chase followed the murder of a 46-year-old man at a Kenilworth petrol station, which Traut said was gang-related.

CCTV footage of the attack shows the man - who has not yet been named by police - waiting at a petrol pump in a blue BMW at 6.45pm.

Two gunmen run up and the first fires several shots at the driver from the passenger side of the car.

The second gunman fires from the driver’s side, then approaches the driver’s open window and continues firing at close range. The two men then run off out of view.

The four suspects, aged 20, 25, 29 and 35, were due to appear in Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Monday charged with murder.

"Our investigation has led us to believe that the four suspects have links with a local gang in the Cape Flats and we have reasons to believe that the attack was a gang-related crime," said Traut.

"We would like to know the motive for the killing and that part is still under investigation."


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