6 men gunned down in Cape Town home. Power cuts thwart murder investigation

Six men were gunned down in an Ocean View home in Cape Town, South Africa, this morning in what is suspected to be a gang-related incident. The SA Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape said its anti-gang unit detectives are investigating six counts of murder. Unfortunately ongoing power cuts meant that no CCTV footage was captured to identify the murderers.

Crime scene experts are still combing the scene, SAPS said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon:

“Reports from the scene indicate that a vehicle pulled up in front of a house in Neptune Lane in Ocean View at approximately 10:50. The occupants of the vehicle went inside the house and started shooting at individuals inside the premises,” SAPS reported.

“Five men between the ages of 20 and 50 were as a result killed, while a sixth person who was transported to a medical facility after sustaining gunshot wounds, was confirmed as having died upon arrival in hospital.

“Detectives from the provincial Anti-Gang unit are investigating six counts of murder. The motive for the shooting is suspected to be #gang related with no arrests effected yet.”

The DA, which governs the Western Cape, expressed its horror at the shootings, saying “this is not only a tragic and unnecessary loss of life, but also a stunning inditement of the state of crimefighting in South Africa.”

Blackouts severely hamper investigation

“In a shocking turn of events, it has been confirmed that ongoing blackouts in the area had disabled CCTV cameras at the time of the incident, thus severely hampering the investigation and police response to the incident. At the time of writing, police are currently yet to apprehend a suspect in the case,” said Gillion Bosman – DA WC Spokesperson on Community Safety.

Ocean View SAPS (a national, not provincial service) is one of the Western Cape’s most drastically under-resourced police stations.

“Despite serving a population of almost 50 000 people, Ocean View only has 61 visible policing units, and 12 detectives,” says the DA. “The problem of under-resourcing in the Western Cape is well-known to SAPS management, who described the number of officers in the Western Cape as “way below par” while briefing the Western Cape Provincial Parliament’s Standing Committee on Community Safety last month. At the same briefing, SAPS officials revealed that there are less than 20 000 officers currently operational in the Western Cape.”

With this being just one of several shootings with multiple victims, the DA has reiterated its call for a dedicated site for the destruction of illegal firearms within the Western Cape, as it is believed that “many firearms confiscated by SAPS and LEAP officers find their way back into the hands of criminals while awaiting destruction at the central site in Pretoria”.

DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Community Safety Gillion Bosman says:

“This shocking incident is utterly heartbreaking, and leaves an entire community searching for answers. While there is nothing that can be said to comfort the families of those who have lost their lives, we must recommit ourselves to bringing down instances of crime. What happened today in Neptune Lane is the result of longstanding issues in policing made manifest. I will be visiting the site today in order to speak to members of the investigating team personally, and will be expediting my committee’s parliamentary oversight visit to SAPS’s firearm destruction facilities. We must ensure that the flow of illegal firearms from SAPS to criminals is stopped for good.”

Anyone with information on the incident that can assist in expediting the police investigation is urged to contact #CrimeStop on 08600 10111 or via the #MySAPSApp.

Six men have been shot dead in Ocean View, Cape Town. A vehicle pulled up in front of a house in Neptune Lane, the occupants went into the house and opened fire. Police say the mass murder could be gang related. #CrimeWatch pic.twitter.com/lHwXsPmNP8

— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) April 12, 2023