Police are investigating after five people were shot during a protest in Dunoon, Cape Town. Image credit SAPS
Police in Cape Town are investigating a Dunoon protest shooting that left five people wounded on Saturday. According to reports, the victims are members of the March and March movement.
The shooting happened at about 12:15 at the corner of Potsdam Road and The Stables Road. Police say the victims were part of a group demonstrating on Potsdam Road when someone opened fire.
The five victims are three women aged 40, 42 and 48, and two men aged 35 and 43. Emergency services took all of them to hospital for treatment. Police have not given details about their injuries or their current condition.
What we know about the Dunoon protest shooting
So far, police have not said who fired the shots. They have also not confirmed any arrests or a possible motive. In addition, it remains unclear what the demonstrators were protesting about on Saturday.
The shooting came during another violent weekend in Cape Town. Just hours earlier, gunmen shot a 46 year old man in the head and leg while he was driving in Bonteheuwel. Police believe that attack was gang related. Meanwhile, police in Tafelsig found a burning body and opened a murder case.
For readers who do not know the area, Dunoon is a densely populated township north of Cape Town, near Milnerton and the N7 highway. Many residents live in informal settlements. Over the years, the area has seen regular protests over housing, evictions and the demolition of structures.
March and March is a movement that campaigns against undocumented immigration. Its leader, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, has become one of the loudest voices in South Africa’s immigration debate. The group has held marches in several provinces this year, especially in KwaZulu-Natal.
The movement has also had a busy week. On Friday, 19 people linked to the group appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on charges related to public violence. Police arrested some of them outside the Home Affairs refugee centre in Durban earlier this month.
Critics, including some political parties, accuse the movement of fuelling xenophobia. Its supporters, however, say it speaks for South Africans who feel ignored on immigration.
Commentary across social media platforms has been divided. Many users have condemned the shooting and called for calm. Others have demanded answers from police about who was behind the attack.
Police have urged anyone with information about the shooting to contact their nearest police station or use the MySAPS app.
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