CAPE TOWN – A wave of gang related violence swept through Mitchells Plain on Thursday afternoon, leaving five people dead and seven others injured in multiple shooting incidents across the area.
The violence began at approximately 12:30 when gunmen opened fire at a tuck-shop in Beacon Valley, killing two people and injuring three others. This was followed by four additional shooting incidents that claimed three more lives and left four others wounded.
According to South African Police Service (SAPS) reports, the shootings occurred at various locations including two separate tuck-shops in Beacon Valley, as well as incidents in Tafelsig and Town Centre. In the second Beacon Valley tuck-shop shooting, one person was killed and three were injured, while a third incident in the same area left one person wounded. The remaining two fatal shootings occurred in Tafelsig and Town Centre, with one death recorded at each location.
Swift response from authorities
Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, expressed deep outrage following the incidents and was briefed at the Mitchells Plain SAPS Station on Thursday night. She confirmed that a 72-hour operational plan has been activated to respond to the violence.
“I commend the South African Police Service and the City of Cape Town for their swift and coordinated response,” Marais said. “I urge them to use every resource available to apprehend those responsible for terrorising our communities.”
Anti-Gang Unit detectives have launched an urgent investigation and are actively pursuing those responsible for the shootings. Murder and attempted murder cases have been opened for all incidents, which are believed to be gang-related.
SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa confirmed that a manhunt for the perpetrators is ongoing, though no arrests have been made yet. Multidisciplinary deployments have been bolstered to prevent further incidents.
Marais has appealed to members of the public to assist authorities with any information that could help in the investigation.
“If you have any information that could assist the police, please come forward. All information will be treated with the utmost confidentiality,” she said.
The 72-hour operational plan will run over the weekend as authorities work to restore stability to the affected communities and bring those responsible to justice.
Anyone with information related to these incidents is urged to contact the South African Police Service or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
