Residents of Khayelitsha in Cape Town are reportedly living in fear following a recent spike in gun violence, with community crime monitors warning that the situation has become increasingly severe.

According to local safety activists, nine people have been killed in three separate mass shooting incidents in the area, deepening concerns about ongoing instability and the impact on community life.

Khayelitsha Spiritual Crime Prevention’s Sakhele Kula has warned that the surge in violence risks undoing years of efforts aimed at rebuilding trust between residents and the South African Police Service.

Advocacy organisation Gun Free South Africa has also expressed alarm, cautioning that society may become desensitised to repeated acts of violence if urgent intervention does not follow.

The organisation has called for stronger enforcement around illegal firearms, improved prosecution rates, enhanced prevention strategies, and reforms to firearm management systems.In a separate incident, police confirmed that no injuries were reported after an explosion inside a store at Menlyn Mall in Pretoria.

An unknown explosive device reportedly detonated on a shelf, causing damage primarily to food items and shelving, while five workers inside the store at the time escaped unharmed.

Meanwhile, in KwaZulu-Natal, the Pietermaritzburg High Court has issued an order restricting the mayor of the Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality from entering businesses owned by foreign nationals unless conducting official inspections.The court also barred him from posting content on social media that could incite violence.

The ruling follows legal action by 38 shop owners who accused the mayor of intimidation, highlighting ongoing tensions around immigration, business ownership, and local governance in parts of the country.