By-Three Zimbabwean nationals have been shot dead in South Africa.

The three’s bodies were found with gunshot wounds in the Western Cape province of South Africa on Sunday morning.

Organised crime detectives who are investigating the deaths have called for anyone with information related to the shootings to contact their nearest police station.

Provincial police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said the detectives were probing the murders after police were called out to Sakhelwe Street, Mbekweni, Paarl at about 5 AM on Sunday. He said:

One body was lying inside the vehicle, another behind the same vehicle, and the third one inside a shack on the premises.

The ages of the deceased people are 30, 33 and 40. Their identities will be released once their next of kin have been informed.

Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen expressed shock over rising mass murder cases in rural towns in the Western Cape. Said Allen:

Not so long ago, we were faced with a similar shooting in Tulbagh. Our rural towns are not known for these types of horrendous crimes, and it cannot become the norm. We dare not allow this lawlessness to take root and continue.

We need to flush out all aspects of criminality and take our communities back.

Ian Cameron, director of Community Safety of non-profit organisation Action Society, said:

If I look at these shootings and the time I spent in Mbekweni, I don’t find it (the fatalities) surprising.

I think Mbekweni has very serious violent criminals that reside there. We are actually involved in a few cases there but those are more gender-based violence related.

More: IOL