Update | 19 January:
Cape Town police confirmed that two people connected to the deadly mass shooting that took place in the early hours of Saturday morning have been arrested, reports Cape {town} Etc.
According to Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner for Visible Policing Luyanda Damoyi, the suspects are known to the community.
‘They are part and parcel of an extortion group in that area, and they are known by other people who are not prepared to come forward and inform us. But we’re still looking for other suspects to add to those that we know of,’ said Damoyi.
‘What we are finding, especially in areas like Philippi, Nyanga, lots of people are cooperating with the extortionists and make arrangements for who’s going to collect the money for extortion so that we don’t catch them when they collect themselves. So, we want to say to the community, report those.’
The fatal incident is believed to be extortion-related.
(IMAGE IS FOR REPRESENTATIVE PURPOSES)
The killing of eight people in a mass shooting linked to extortion in Philippi East has once again placed the spotlight on gun violence in the Western Cape, reigniting calls for urgent and coordinated intervention from government and law enforcement.
The shooting unfolded in the early hours of Saturday at a tavern in the Marikana informal settlement.
Three suspects allegedly opened fire, killing six people at the scene. A seventh victim died while being transported to hospital, while an eighth later succumbed to injuries at a medical facility. Two others sustained serious gunshot wounds and remain under medical care.
Police confirmed that among those killed was a 43-year-old woman, identified as the owner of the illegal liquor outlet. Police spokesperson Andre Traut said the victims were targeted during what is believed to be an extortion-related attack.
Cape Times has reported that the incident has prompted renewed pressure on provincial leadership to escalate its response to violent crime.
Community Policing Forums (CPFs) across the province, alongside police, have urged members of the public to assist investigations by coming forward with information that could lead to arrests.
Cape Flats Safety Forum (CFSF) chairperson Abie Isaacs said the scale and frequency of shootings should compel authorities to take decisive steps, including the declaration of a provincial state of emergency.
‘We place the following demands: The Premier (Alan Winde) to declare a state of emergency, as this mandate falls within his power; we further call for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to be deployed as a force multiplier, the establishment of a commission to look deeper into gun violence,’ Isaacs stated.
Western Cape police commissioner Thembisile Patekile confirmed that police were actively pursuing the three suspects. Isaacs echoed calls for communities to assist police, stressing that public cooperation remained critical to dismantling criminal networks behind extortion-linked violence.
Meanwhile, Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Anroux Marais confirmed that she and Premier Alan Winde are expected to meet with Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia within the next three weeks to discuss urgent policing needs in the province.
‘Communities are living in constant fear as criminals run rampant. The SAPS must urgently resource all priority precincts and fill vacancies so that all serious crimes are solved and those responsible are prosecuted,’ Marais said.
She added: ‘Acts of extreme violence such as this will not be tolerated. All law enforcement agencies and communities must work together to bring perpetrators to justice.’
Beyond enforcement, community leaders have also pointed to prevention and early intervention. Rafique Foflonker, spokesperson for the Western Cape Provincial CPF Board, said renewed efforts would focus on outreach to business owners vulnerable to extortion.
‘In the past, the CPF had addressed the business owners in various areas concerning extortion, and we have had media campaigns around extortion. We will revive those workshops again,’ he said.
Foflonker urged business owners to report extortion attempts as soon as they arise, noting that early reporting makes it easier for authorities to intervene before violence escalates.
‘We are calling on the community to come forward with the information that can help the SAPS to track down the killers and bring them to justice,’ he said.
‘The community does not need to provide their names. They just have to provide information about where or when these crimes are committed, or are going to be committed, or if they know of business premises that are currently being extorted.’
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