Cape Town – The Lavender Hill, community in Cape Town is reportedly living in fear after a prominent leader of the Fast Guns gang and his 11-year-old son were shot dead on Friday.
Reports said that Cheslin Nelson and his son were sitting with another man when they were shot and killed at their home in Shepherd Road.
The incident occurred in broad daylight.
Residents feared the worst, as the death of a gang leader was usually followed by gang war that would see more blood spill, reports said.
Nelson and his son, Jordan, a promising football player, were shot multiple times, execution style, reported eNCA, adding that a fellow gang member, called Gino, whom they were sitting with remained in hospital.
The report said, members of the 7945 Action Group had since threatened to shut down the community of Lavender Hill and surrounding areas if the suspect who was recently released from Pollsmor and was allegedly known to the police, was not arrested.
The group said it was difficult for community members to give information to the police due to police corruption, the report said.
Community activist Howard Soetwater said the community was scared and feared that retaliation from rival gangs could soon erupt, reported News24.
“The killing of the leader of the Fast Gun gang has brought immense fear among us as residents because we don’t know when the retaliation shooting will begin. The community is unstable and quite frightened about these ongoing killings. We need urgent intervention by police and government because as long as there are gangs around, the senseless killings will continue,” the report quoted Soetwater as saying.
Community policing forum chairperson, Gavin Walbrugh said the community was tense, as the threat of retaliation was real, especially if an alleged “high-profile” person was killed.
“We are depending on the SAPS Intelligence to counter this threat. Community safety is key,” the report quoted Walbrugh as saying.
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Compiled by Olwethu Mpeshe
