• Victims include taxi drivers, women and men gunned down in Kraaifontein, Langa, Nyanga, Gugulethu and Barcelona in separate attacks.

• Residents blame the government and call for soldiers to be deployed, saying police cannot protect communities from mass killings.

Cape Town's townships saw a weekend of bloodshed with ten people killed across several communities in shootings linked to taxis and extortion.

In Kraaifontein, three people were killed in the early hours of Sunday. The first victim was shot dead at 1am.

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An hour later, another victim was wounded and his companion raped close to the first scene. By 3am, two women in their twenties were shot dead nearby.

In Langa, two people were gunned down, one of them a taxi driver. A resident said the second victim was simply eating with him when the gunman attacked.

In Nyanga, a taxi driver was killed after arguing with a Polo driver. "He went to confront him but never came back," said a resident.

In Gugulethu's Europe township, a taxi driver and a woman were killed when suspects ambushed their vehicle. Two others ran for their lives.

Another double murder took place in Barcelona, not far from Europe.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said Gugulethu officers found the bodies of two men shot dead in an informal settlement. He said the motive was believed to be extortion.

Residents say police have failed. "It is clear to everyone that they cannot end crime in our communities," said Siyolise Makhana, 45.

He said only the army could stop the killings. "During Covid-19 soldiers were deployed quickly. Now mass killings happen and the government is silent. They don't care about us."