MEC Fritz visits family of 4-year-old Scarlett, asks SAPS to find the killers | Western Cape Government

News

MEC Fritz visits family of 4-year-old Scarlett, asks SAPS to find the killers

1 October 2021

Today, the Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, along with Councillor William Akim, visited the family of four-year-old Scarlett Cottle who was killed in a shooting on Wednesday night.

Minister Albert Fritz has issued a call on SAPS and all law enforcement agencies to do everything in their power to bring the killers to book. The City’s Gang Unit and the SAPS Anti-Gang Unit are conducting major operations in the Ottery area to deal with the flare up of violence. The Department of Community Safety is also furthermore monitoring the situation closely and is ready to deploy LEAP Officers to affected areas if needs be.

On Wednesday evening, as the little girl was reading a book in bed, three gunmen opened fire on the wendy house in which she lives. Scarlett was wounded in the shooting and taken to hospital where she later died.

A 48-year old man was also injured in the shooting and is presently recovering in hospital.

It is suspected that the shooting is linked to the gang violence in the area.

Minister Fritz said, “I am calling on SAPS to do everything in their power to ensure that these thugs are brought to book and face the full might of the law. We are also monitoring the situation very closely and are ready to deploy LEAP officers to affected areas to quell any further violence.”

Minister Fritz continued, “there are community members who have information that can assist SAPS. I want to appeal to you to please come forward. Stand with us in the fight against gangsterism in our communities. Don’t protect these thugs.”

Minister Fritz concluded, “I would like to thank Councillor William Akim for the support that he is giving to the family at this difficult time. I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Scarlett. I want to say that your pain and your grief affect all of us. Today, we stand with you. We are never going to accept that the danger in which our children have to live in is normal. It is not normal. We reject it. And we are going to fight this fight for and on behalf of our citizens for as long as we have to. The thugs will not win.”

Anyone with information about the incident that could assist the police in their investigations is urged to contact police on 08600 10111 or via the MySAPS App.

Media Enquiries: 

 

Wade Seale

Spokesperson to Minister Albert Fritz

Tel: 021 483 3781

Cell: 072 889 8122

Email: Wade.Seale@westerncape.gov.za