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For a while, it appeared that the rapid spread of COVID-19 had led to a truce between rival gangs on the Cape Flats.

That was back in the time before alert levels, when we thought that 21 days of national lockdown was going to be the worst of it.

Now, as South Africa comes to terms with the road ahead, and Capetonians worry that they remain on alert level 4 for longer than the rest of the country, the residents of the Cape Flats fear the gang truce may be over.

On Monday night at around 7:15PM, alleged Cape Town gang boss Ernie ‘Lastig’ Solomon, of the ‘Terrible Josters gang, and his son were shot at and wounded in Hawston, Hermanus, with one person dying during the attempted hit.

That man was believed to be Solomon’s guard, Jonathan “Blikke” Thomas. IOL reports that ‘Lastig’ was shot five times in the stomach.

The following day, two men were shot in Belhar, Cape Town, with one dying, and police believe that may have been in retaliation for the attack on Solomon.

TimesLIVE reports:

The shootings are believed to be the result of a dispute between Lastig [pictured below, in 2016] and other senior members of the 28s related to a Delft gang, the Terrible Josters.

On March 15, alleged Terrible Josters leader Horatio “Voudie” Solomons was shot at his home in Durbanville Hills, according to reports in the Tygerberger. Solomons’ daughter was also shot and died in hospital a day later.

Image: Esa Alexander

Sources said the Hawston hit was connected to the attempt on Solomons’ life. They claimed a 28s member close to a senior Terrible Josters gangster was ordered to carry out the hit in cooperation with a high-ranking underworld figure affiliated to the 26s.

Senior Terrible Josters members were allegedly shut out of the abalone trade in Hermanus and Gansbaai by Solomon.

Sources familiar with the underworld told TimesLIVE that there is currently a movement to create a “super-alliance” between gang bosses who are united against Solomon, and now want more control over the lucrative abalone smuggling trade, including the smuggling route between Kleinmond and Cape Agulhas to Cape Town harbour.

Also on Monday, before the attempted hit on Solomon and his son, two people were shot dead in Mitchells Plain, and two more in Manenberg, in other incidents reportedly related to gangs in the area.

[sources:timeslive&iol]