CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA In the Samora Machel neighborhood, a murder of two men occurred in front of a spaza shop (a small informal grocery shop typically found in low-income areas). The murder was committed by a teenager who, as it later turned out, accepted an offer to become a contract killer from a local gang. He probably wanted to gain their respect and trust so he could become a member. His girlfriend was also at the scene; she can be heard in the background encouraging him to shoot.
The exploitation of teenagers to do ‘dirty work’ is unfortunately a frequent phenomenon of gangs, cartels, and other criminal organizations. The reasons are very pragmatic – minors usually still have a clean criminal record and receive lighter sentences from the court.
