WESTERN CAPE CRIME
Two men shot dead on crowded Camps Bay beach in broad daylight
While beachgoers revelled in a beautiful Cape Town day at Camps Bay beach — one of the city’s major tourist attractions — two men were shot and killed. According to sources, 11 shots were fired.
‘He said ‘bye’ to me, and he died. It’s not easy,” said a witness and acquaintance of one of the two men shot and killed at Camps Bay beach in Cape Town on Wednesday afternoon.
Camps Bay beach in Cape Town, a big tourist destination. On Wednesday, 5 October, two men were shot at the beach — both died at the scene. (Photo: Suné Payne, Daily Maverick)
The witness, who asked not to be identified, said he was speaking to his friend when he suddenly fell to the ground. This was just after 2pm. Despite efforts by lifeguards, the man could not be revived.
Just witnessed a shooting in Camps Bay.
I’m so shaken… what was a great day at the beach just became traumatic 😔— Dr. Yvonne Maphosa (@Yvonne_Maphosa) October 5, 2022
When Daily Maverick arrived at the scene, the beach was busy with people posing for pictures, lifeguards on duty and families sitting on deck chairs, while police had cordoned off the crime scene at two spots where the bodies lay.
The witness said his murdered friend was a photographer who took pictures of beachgoers and sold the images to them. Just before the shooting, his friend had been talking to him about going home because he had made enough money for the day.
“I said, ‘You can go home, my friend’,” said the witness. Then he turned and saw people running after his friend had collapsed on the sand.
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A short distance away, near some rocks, lay another body.
A woman who said she was the dead photographer’s girlfriend arrived at the beach after 8pm. She was taken to see his body and then started crying.
The dead man was from Hout Bay, Daily Maverick confirmed.
While the second victim’s name has not yet been revealed, sources say he was involved in the taxi industry and was from Nyanga.
Beachgoers at Camps Bay beach on Wednesday 5 October. Two men were earlier shot and killed at the popular tourist spot. (Photo: Velani Ludidi, Daily Maverick)
A police source said that earlier, a taxi driver had made a complaint about an illegal taxi operator on the Camps Bay route. The source said that the shooters were travelling in a silver Toyota Tazz and that there were CCTV cameras close to where the shootings occurred.
Two people have been fatally shot at Camps Bay Main beach (Victoria Rd). The bodies are a few metres apart, motive not yet clear pic.twitter.com/MsoG7ycm4T
— Veve (@LudidiVelani) October 5, 2022
A police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi, said: “The unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested. The motive for the attack is unknown.”
The City of Cape Town’s mayoral committee member for safety and security, JP Smith, said they had deployed officials to the area.
“Our staff were there as soon we became aware of the situation.”
Camps Bay is a popular tourism spot in Cape Town known for its beaches and restaurants. On Wednesday, 5 October, two men were shot and fatally wounded on the beach. (Photo: Velani Ludidi, Daily Maverick)
According to the latest crime statistics, there were no murders reported at the Camps Bay Police Station during the first quarter (April to June) of the 2022/2023 financial year.
Camps Bay beach is a popular destination for local and overseas tourists.
Beachgoer Patience Dikotsi (46) from Kempton Park, Gauteng, was visiting Cape Town with her two teenagers.
“I cannot bring my children into this kind of an environment,” she said. “It is scary that people could be shot in the full view of the public.” DM
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Township justice in a Ratepayers backyard – no security and the taxi wars and zenophobia in full swing! Going to be a bumper Holiday Season folks!
Welcome to the country of the ANC.
…. And this shooting took place outside the Camps. Any Police station – that just about says it all for me!
No doubt SAPS will leave no stone unturned for the trillionth time. There’s lots at camps bay so have a blast.
This is a premier holiday spot in the country and its beach is considered one of the safest in the country. The fact that two people were shot in this beach is a matter of very serious concern. The failure of both municipal and South African Police to safeguard revellers, tourists and the informal business people says a lot about the state of crime in our country. We have reached a point where lawlessness has become a defining feature of our country. It is hurting tourism and businesses as well as ordinary citizens whilst Cele is on an ego ride. We need a new police Minister and Commissioner with vision on how to handle crime.
The saddest part is the issue of pathology and forensic laboratories that has been a problem for a very long time and why are we not build ten more boggles the mind because we have the scientific skills to run such. The delays in DNA and forensic evidence lies at the door of Cele and Ramaphosa. Whether they condone crime is another matter but concerns have to be raised about their lack of response and their lying and excuses as a matter of routine.
What we actually need is a new governing party – the ANC hasn’t been up to the job since 1994 however much we ( me included) wished it would be. To blame Cele (who is useless) and Ramaphosa (who has no support base) is to ignore the fact that the ANC has been endemically corrupt and ineffective for 28 years.
I am sure super cop Cele is on his way.