The community in Philippi East on the Cape Flats is reeling after eight people were shot dead in the early hours of Saturday morning at Marikana Informal Settlement.
In a tragic incident that has shaken the Philippi East community, eight individuals lost their lives in a shooting at Marikana Informal Settlement. The attack occurred early on Saturday morning, with six victims shot and killed on site. One more died en route to a medical facility, and the eighth succumbed to injuries at the hospital.
Police have identified at least three assailants believed to be involved in the mass shooting. The incident took place at a shebeen, an illegal tavern, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in the area. Community Police Forum Chairperson Zolani Lumkwana pointed to extortion as a major issue plaguing the neighborhood. "We need to engage with illegal business owners here so that we tell them about the risk that they are putting their customers in because the time that this shooting took place the people should have at home already, but they were still at the shebeen. So, I think we need to engage them," Lumkwana stated.
While some reports mention varying casualty figures, including seven or ten deaths, the primary account confirms eight fatalities. The event underscores persistent violence linked to extortion on the Cape Flats, leaving residents distraught and calling for stronger interventions to protect vulnerable communities.