S. African ruling party outraged by gruesome murder of pensioners

CAPE TOWN, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Saturday expressed outrage at the gruesome murder of two pensioners.

The ANC is saddened to learn of "the brutal, callous and cold-blooded" killing of 84-year-old Rosalie Bloch and 96-year-old Aubrey Jackson, who were found murdered in their Rosebank home in Cape Town earlier Saturday.

The two pensioners were the parents of education expert Professor Graeme Bloch.

The elderly couple, who were declared dead on the scene, had been tied up.

"The ANC is dismayed and shocked at this evil deed. We strongly condemn the cowardly act visited on the defenceless and elderly," ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said in a statement emailed to Xinhua.

"It is disheartening to note that we still have amongst us, those who are determined to trample on other people's right to live driven by selfish and cruel intentions," Pale said.

The motive for the killing is still being investigated. Previous investigation indicated that it appears to have been a burglary that turned into a murder.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said the provincial detectives were investigating a case of murder and house robbery following the incident.

These are elements that must be isolated and locked away to rid our society of heartless criminals, said Mabe.

"Law enforcement agencies must indeed leave no stone unturned in their quest to ensure that perpetrators of this heinous crime are caught and face the full might of the law," he said.

The ANC, he said, further calls on all South Africans to act in concert to ensure that criminals have nowhere to hide wherever they seek refuge.

The killing highlights the seriousness of rising crimes in South Africa which is among countries that have the highest crime rate in the world.

South Africa has seen a rise in violent crimes in the 2016/2017 financial year, with murders up 1.8 percent, or 9,016 murders being recorded, official figures show. Enditem