Winde: 43 murders recorded in CT metro over the weekend

SANDF troops arrived in the Western Cape over the weekend, however, were not deployed on Friday as initially announced by Police Minister Bheki Cele.

CAPE TOWN - Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said 43 murders were recorded in the Cape Town metro between Friday night and Monday morning.

Of the 43 people murdered, 25 were shot and 12 were stabbed.

The deployment of the South African Defence Force to Cape Town was delayed. South African Police Service officers conducted operations on Thursday night in areas including Philippi, Steenberg and Delft.

Winde said he welcomed the total of 143 arrests that were made and the confiscation of guns and drugs.

“This weekend’s murder rate is proof that there is no time to waste in deploying the army, and I call on minister Cele and President [Cyril] Ramaphosa to get the paperwork out of the way as quickly as possible so that no more lives are wasted.”

Mfuleni recorded the highest weekend death toll with six murders.

Delft and Samora Machel each recorded four murders, while three murders were reported in Mitchells Plain.

WATCH: Philippi Lockdown: 141 arrested

(Edited by Shimoney Regter)