Update: Tragic mass shooting in Mitchell’s Plain claims three lives, including a nine-year-old boy

Mitchell’s Plain has been rocked by a brutal mass shooting that claimed three lives including that of a nine-year-old boy and left two others wounded. More than 60 bullet casings lay scattered across Viscount Road in Rocklands after the attack, a grim reminder of the violence that unfolded on Tuesday evening, 02 December 2025.

Among the deceased is nine-year-old Zachaiah Mathee, whose death has sent shockwaves through the community. Twenty-one-year-old Chloe Bailey and a 26-year-old man known as Moegsien were also fatally wounded. Two men, aged 51 and 36, survived the shooting and were rushed to hospital for urgent medical care.

According to information, a group of four gunmen believed to be linked to a gang stormed into the house before unleashing a hail of bullets inside. Residents say the property is a well-known address associated with another gang faction in Mitchell’s Plain a detail that has fuelled growing fears of escalating tensions in the area.

In response to the attack, the South African Police Service in the Western Cape has launched an intensive manhunt for the suspects. Detectives from the Anti-Gang Unit have taken over the investigation and are pursuing several leads in an effort to track down the perpetrators behind what authorities have labelled a “cowardly and senseless act.”

Western Cape Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile condemned the attack, saying gang violence will not be allowed to hold communities hostage.

“Gangsterism has no place in our society. We will tighten the net around these criminal elements and ensure they face the full might of the law,” he said.

Police have urged anyone with information to come forward, stressing that tip-offs can be provided anonymously via #CrimeStop on 08600 10111 or through the #MySAPSApp.