Booysens Court shooting raises alarm over safety in Western Cape Courts
Police are investigating a shooting outside the Booysens Magistrate Court in Johannesburg.
Image: Timothy Bernard/Independent Newspapers
At least two people were killed and three others wounded in a shooting at the Booysens Magistrates’ Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday, raising renewed concerns about the safety of court buildings across South Africa, including in the Western Cape.
The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development confirmed that five people were shot during the incident, which was still active at the time the statement was issued. Law enforcement agencies were attending to the situation.
The deadly incident has renewed focus on court security nationally and comes amid a series of violent incidents at and around court precincts in the Western Cape over the past year.
In the Cape metro, shootings have been reported outside the Athlone Magistrates’ Court, the Mitchells Plain Magistrates’ Court, and the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court, with some incidents resulting in fatalities. In one case at Wynberg, a person was fatally shot inside the court building, prompting senior justice officials to conduct oversight visits and review security arrangements.
Those incidents have heightened anxiety among court users, legal practitioners and staff, and sparked ongoing debate about whether existing security measures — including access control and guard deployment — are sufficient to protect courts as spaces for the administration of justice.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Ministry of Justice said it had learnt of the Booysens shooting “with serious concern” and condemned the incident.
Forensic investigators work at the scene outside the Booysens Magistrates’ Court in Johannesburg after a deadly shooting that left two people dead and several others wounded.
Image: Pictures: The Star.
Deputy Minister of Justice Andries Nel was expected to proceed to the scene to assess the situation, while the department awaited further verified details from law enforcement agencies and court management.
The Ministry said it would work with relevant security and law enforcement authorities to ensure that all necessary measures were implemented to safeguard court users and personnel.
No further details regarding the circumstances of the shooting, the identities of those involved, or possible motives had been confirmed at the time of publication. Authorities said updates would be provided as more information becomes available.
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