Two more teens arrested for Philippi East massacre

Cape Town police arrested two more teenagers in connection with the June 30 massacre in Philippi East in which five people were killed in a house.

The arrests of two 19-year-olds on Friday evening brings to five the number of suspects arrested in the investigation so far. Two teenagers were arrested in Delft last week.

According to Western Cape police spokesperson Brig Novella Potelwa, the teens were arrested on murder charges by an integrated team deployed in Philippi East following the shootings.

“The team followed vital information to the Nkanini informal settlement, where they found the two suspects, both 19 years of age, hiding in a house,” said Potelwa.

A 20-year-old suspect was also arrested in connection with the murders on Thursday.

“The first two arrests were of 18-year-old and 19-year-old suspects apprehended on Main Road in Delft on Monday July 6,” said Potelwa. “On June 30, seven suspects are alleged to have stormed a house in Block 4 in Philippi East and fired shots randomly at the occupants. Five young men died as a result.”

The police are not done searching for suspects. Potelwa said they are hot on the heels of a sixth suspect as part of the investigation.

The two 19-year-olds were expected to appear in court on Monday.

Potelwa said provincial police managers had applauded the determination of the police members who ensured the perpetrators were brought to book.