Eight killed in extortion-related mass shooting at Cape Town shebeen

Eight people died in an extortion-related mass shooting at a shebeen in Cape Town’s Marikana informal settlement in the early hours of Saturday.

Western Cape police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembisile Patekile and his top management visited the area, where 11 people were also shot dead in 2017.

Patekile said six people died at the scene, one died in an ambulance, and another later died in hospital.

“According to information, there could be more than three people [involved],” said Patekile.

“Among the people who have been shot is a female, who is the owner of the place. There were more people in the shebeen, but it is only these who were shot and injured. From the investigation, we know who we are looking for and we are on their heels.”

Patekile said an extortion racket was believed to be behind the shooting.

“The motive is extortion … by groups of extortionists in this area. We have been requesting people to use our toll-free number … We could prevent many of these incidents if we report the incidents — who is extorting them, who is demanding money for protection,” he said.

“We bolstered our deployment in the areas. We continue with the intelligence collection teams in the affected areas, but we depend mostly on communities reporting extortion. It is one of the crimes that are under-reported. We have to dismantle this. But we request the community to work with us. They should not be working with the extortionists, they should work with the police to prevent those extortionists so that we can prevent such unnecessary shootings that have happened in this place.”

Resident and former community leader Siphiwo Tofile, who lives in Section A, Marikana, along Protea Road, where the incident occurred, said the area had long been volatile. He said his wife and children were too afraid to live there and only visited him occasionally.

“I saw reports of the incident on social media and then realised it was my own neighbourhood. Residents were being urged to come forward to identify relatives, those who had not returned home that night,” Tofile said.

“The incident happened around midnight. When I arrived, the police were already all over the place. The shooting took place at a shebeen where I usually play pool and watch television.

“The owner was shot, and I understand that she later died,” he said.

Tofile said such incidents were not new to the area.

“Every year, especially at the beginning of the year, we see incidents like this. In 2017, 11 people were shot and killed not far from here, also at the beginning of the year,” he said.

“This attack could be linked to extortion, but what worries us most is that criminals end up killing everyone, including innocent people.”

Meanwhile, former Cape Town athlete Bulelwa Mtshagi, 46, is recovering in hospital after assailants shot her seven times at her home in Crossroads on Friday. Her 24-year-old son was also shot in the leg, while her nephew sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

A family member, who asked to remain anonymous, said a friend of Mtshagi’s son was killed during the shooting.

“We were told that two assailants jumped over the neighbour’s wall and opened fire,” the relative said.

“Bulelwa’s condition, as well as that of her nephew, is very serious. Her son’s friend, who lives in the neighbourhood, did not survive. Her son was shot in the leg. We do not know the motive for the shooting, but we are living in fear. There have been several shooting incidents in this area where people have died. The situation is out of hand, and we are praying for our relatives’ survival.”

On Saturday, gaping bullet holes were visible in the lounge walls, and bloodstains could be seen on the driveway. Family members sat outside the yard, fearing the assailants might return.

Patekile confirmed the Crossroads incident and said police were following up on leads.

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