Yet another youngster killed in Gqeberha where army has been deployed since April
When Bevan Campbell went to say goodbye to his grandmother after her death, he never imagined he would not make it home. On his way back, the 26-year-old was shot several times and died at the scene in Ibex Street, Helenvale on Friday morning.
In Gqeberha, a 26-year-old man named Bevan Campbell was killed in cold blood on Friday morning while returning home from visiting his grandmother. Campbell was chased by his killers before they opened fire, according to police spokesperson Captain André Beetge. His maternal grandmother, Hendrina Potgieter, was devastated by the loss and could not find the words to express her pain.
Potgieter had recently lost another grandson five years ago at the age of 21, and she has long advocated for the deployment of the army due to the constant threat of shootings in their community. The northern areas of Gqeberha have become one of the most dangerous places to live, with gang violence being a major issue. The SA Police Service confirmed Campbell's death, stating that he was allegedly chased and shot by unknown male suspects.
President Cyril Ramaphosa authorized the deployment of 2,200 soldiers across five provinces in April, with an estimated cost of R823 million. However, community activists and policing forums have claimed that the soldiers are rarely seen on the streets, and killings continue unabated. In August alone, 30 people were killed in the northern areas, which amounted to roughly one killing a day.
Acting police minister Firoz Cachalia stated that Operation Prosper, implemented since April 1, has yielded positive results, with the SA National Defence Force working alongside police to fight serious and violent crime. However, arrest figures for the Eastern Cape were not provided.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
