Police hunt for suspects after deadly Philippi East shooting

Police are actively pursuing suspects linked to a horrific shooting on Friday night in Philippi East, where seven men were killed and their bodies partially burned inside a house. 

The incident occurred around 10pm on Road 53 in the Better Life area and exhibits signs of a planned execution.

One victim was discovered in the front room, while six others were found in the bedroom, their remains surrounded by smoke-stained walls and the charred remnants of a fire set by the assailants.

After the news first broke, Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile said police management condemned the killings and that detectives were prioritising the investigation.

On Sunday, SAPS spokesperson F.C. Van Wyk said: “Kindly be advised that the matter you are referring to is still under investigation. There are no new developments to report to the media at this stage.

“We appeal to anyone with any information about this incident to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the mobile application MySAPS anonymously,” he said.

MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais has condemned the brutal murders and urged the South African Police Service (SAPS) to spare no effort in tracking down the perpetrators of this heinous crime, including those who provided the firearms.

Chairperson of the portfolio committee on police, Ian Cameron, said that crime in the Philippi area has been escalating for some months, “especially with firearm-related offences”, even prior to this attack.

“The long and the short of it is that the current policing strategy for the Cape Flats is dysfunctional; it doesn’t work. They can try and justify it, and the provincial commissioner can keep trying to tell us that they have a strategy in place, (and) if they do, it is dysfunctional. It doesn’t work properly.

“I honestly think we need an entire leadership restructuring in the Western Cape, and we need to see to it that we have a solid intelligence-driven police operation to stabilise those areas because the current reactive model is not working.”

Cameron added that another issue that needed to be tackled was the integration of the National Prosecuting Authority, “as the majority of the offenders involved in these things are repeat offenders”.

“To me, I don’t have sleepless nights when gangsters shoot gangsters. I am really tired of the nonsense that they cause for innocent people, but my problem with all of this violence is essentially the number of children who are exposed to it.

“It just frustrates me so much.”

Previously, Ward councillor Zukisani Sophazi said the community was left deeply traumatised by violent crime.

“Unfortunately, no one ever wants to come forward to tell the police who is committing these crimes. I understand that they are scared, but we need to work together,” said Sophazi.

“We stood at the crime scene on Saturday, and no community members came, and that means that people are scared of what might happen to them.”

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*Additional reporting by Mandilakhe Tshwete.