Cape Town, Oct 18 (NationPress) Seven individuals lost their lives during a mass shooting that took place in Cape Town, located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, on Friday night, as confirmed by local police on Saturday.

The tragic event unfolded on Road R53 in Philippi East, a suburb within the Cape Flats region of Cape Town, where seven males, aged between 20 and 30, were violently shot in what officials labeled a “senseless act of violence.”

On Saturday morning, the South African Police Service (SAPS) released a statement indicating that the police in the Western Cape have initiated a widespread manhunt in the aftermath of the shooting.

“Detectives from the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit have been tasked with this case and are diligently following all available leads to identify and capture those accountable for this horrendous attack,” the statement elaborated.

According to reports from Xinhua news agency, the management of the Western Cape police has vehemently condemned this “senseless act of violence” and has emphasized that the investigation is a top priority to ensure that the culprits face swift justice.

Provincial Police Commissioner Thembisile Patekile expressed deep concern regarding the escalating violence and urged community members to collaborate with the police by providing any information that could assist the investigation.

“Community cooperation is essential for holding those responsible accountable and restoring safety in our neighborhoods,” Patekile stated.

The motive for this shooting remains unknown, and no suspects have been apprehended.

Recently, Cape Town has experienced a rise in gun violence and gang-related homicides, leading civil society to warn that the Western Cape Province, of which Cape Town is the capital, is facing a significant crisis.

In response to the surge in violence, the local government took action in September, shutting down certain minibus taxi routes for 30 days after gun violence claimed at least a dozen lives within the city in just over a week.

As violence escalates, the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) for Western Cape acknowledged the provincial government's decision to invoke Section 91 of the National Land Transport Act, permitting extraordinary interventions in the taxi sector.

This closure has impacted thousands of daily commuters, as minibus taxis serve as the primary public transport method in South Africa, transporting millions of passengers each day.