Concerns have arisen over the increase in the number of murders in Johannesburg townships as on Tuesday 12 people were shot dead in Jumpers slums, Cleveland.
The Joburg Crisis Alliance (JCA) said it strongly condemns the incident which left eight other people seriously injured after the shooting.
According to the police, the killers came to the place in a taxi just after 11 at night, and opened fire on different buildings.
Police said 11 people died instantly and one died at the hospital they were taken to.
An intelligence team, evidence collection experts and detectives at the provincial level have been assembled to hunt down the killers. It was said that the cause of the attack was not yet known, the police are investigating.
The JCA said it offers its condolences to the families of the victims and wishes them a speedy recovery.
“No one should lose a loved one in this kind of senseless attack,” said the JCA statement.
It said that this attack in Cleveland is linked to other recent events in Johannesburg.
“What has happened shows the same pattern of escalating violence in all communities in Johannesburg. In recent weeks, a shooting incident in Alexandra caused by a street dispute left one dead and six injured. The rate of attacks on people in Alexandra is high. Between January and March this year, the township recorded 31 murders, an increase of nine compared to the same period last year.”
The JCA is calling on the police, national law enforcement and intelligence agencies to investigate the massacre and ensure that those involved are brought to justice as soon as possible.
“The people of Cleveland deserve visible policing. Police should be patrolling this area to stop this crime.”
The JCA statement continued that the Johannesburg Municipality must play a clear role in the fight against crime.
“The infrastructure of street lighting should always work well and there should be programs for the employment of areas that are considered to be hotbeds of violent crime. The council should provide JMPD police and work with community organizations as well as SAPS colleagues to prevent crime.”