Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed a shooting on Tuesday, 27 September at about 7.30pm on the corner of Cosa and Dika streets in Site B, Khayelitsha.

Five people between the ages of 21 and 38 were wounded and rushed in private vehicles to a nearby hospital, he said. The motive for the shooting was unknown and the circumstances sketchy. Police were searching for the gunmen.

“The five victims sustained gunshot wounds and there were also two victims that were injured while running for cover. The unknown suspects fled the scene,” Van Wyk said.

This incident comes after Police Minister Bheki Cele addressed Khayelitsha residents on Monday during the YaModa Men’s Imbizo, which focused on men and their role in the prevention and eradication of gender-based violence.

Police at the Khayelitsha home where four people were murdered on 14 March 2022. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)

Khayelitsha is also one of the suburbs in the Western Cape that has been plagued by mass shootings and extortions. Police statistics show that between April and June, 90 people were killed in multiple-victim murders in the province, with 37 dockets opened.

Read more in Daily Maverick: “Twelve killed in Khayelitsha weekend murder spree – rivalry between extortion gangs escalates

‘Held hostage’

Western Cape Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Fransina Lukas responded to the latest shootings in Khayelitsha: “It is very regrettable that our communities still continue to be held hostage by incidents of violence of this nature.

“In that very particular area where the shooting happened we have a very active CPF and other community-based organisations and Minister Cele visited the same area on Monday.”

The crime scourge persisted despite all these efforts, which showed “there is something wrong within our communities that we cannot resolve”.

“It also tells us more needs to be done not only by law enforcement and agencies, but also by us as community leaders, to make sure we have a more controlled community.

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“The stabbing, shootings, kidnappings, hijackings, murders, extortion and violence in our townships are like a mirror for the generations to come to look into. What they see is … is not desirable or conducive.”

Lukas emphasised that the justice system has a critical role and that more convictions are needed to send a strong message that these types of crimes and continuation of violence and mass killings cannot go unpunished.

So far, police have arrested and added Wanda Tofile and Manelisi Ngumlaas as co-accused in the murder case against alleged hitman Yanga Nyalara, also known as “Bara”. The trio face charges related to murders committed in Khayelitsha between 15 May and 30 June 2022. 

Residents gather at the home in Khayelitsha where four people were murdered on 14 March 2022. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)

Initially, only Nyalara was charged with 18 counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, and counts of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition in contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. The trio are due back in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on 4 October.

‘Bone of contention’

Western Cape MEC for police oversight and community safety Reagen Allen said that pe-emptive crime intelligence and also information gathering and interception were vital components in tracking down criminality. These interventions needed to be jacked up, he said. In addition, more convictions were needed, to serve as a deterrent, especially where extortion and revenge are involved.

Police urge people with information about the latest shooting to call Crime Stop on 08600 10111. DM