Witness details Tulbagh horror mass shooting

The Tulbagh community in the Cape Winelands have urged police to leave no stone unturned after a bloody weekend where four people were killed in a mass shooting.

The Tulbagh community in the Cape Winelands have urged police to leave no stone unturned after a bloody weekend where four people were killed in a mass shooting.

Published Jun 28, 2022

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Cape Town - “I froze for a second in shock then ran for my life thinking I would be next.”

That is how a Tulbagh resident described the frightening details of the shooting that led to the murders of four men and left one wounded in Marikana informal settlement near Chris Hani on Saturday night.

Speaking to the Cape Times on Monday, the shaken resident who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of reprisals said two gunmen entered the yard of a shack where alcohol is usually sold, and fired shots.

A group of people were sitting outside around a bonfire and others were inside the shack socialising before the bloodbath.

“I was walking by the shack when two men entered the yard and started shooting at the people. I froze in the road for a second in fright and ran to the nearest shack to seek refuge. Fortunately the residents of that house were kind enough to let me inside and they locked the door. We lay down for a while.

“My fear was that they might think I would be able to identify them since they didn’t conceal their faces but it was dark. There is no electricity or street lights there. I’m told when other people ran out of the yard screaming after the gunshots went off the two men also ran out so that people would not know it’s them,” the witness said.

On Sunday the Community Policing Forum (CPF) said reports were that the incident was suspected to be taxi-related, however the resident claimed there was an ongoing fight between residents of various nationalities.

“I think one of the victims who was shot was just at the wrong place at the right time.

“People are fearful because there could be retaliation and innocent people might get hurt if this is not stopped,” the resident said.

Police have since offered a R100 000 reward for information that could lead to the arrest of the gunmen and initiated a 72-hour activation plan.

Another 28-year-old resident, who asked not to be named, said he was busy fixing a shack when they heard numerous gunshots going off and ran inside.

He said the Marikana informal settlement was established in 2014 but to date people still didn’t have electricity and the area was highly dense with shacks which contributed to crime.

“If there could be light and reblocking things could be a bit better because even services struggled to enter here. However poverty and unemployment also has a hand. There are no street committees or anyone from the community to represent us when we have municipal complaints. There is no equality, people are divided because no one from Marikana or Chris Hani is involved in the safety structures. We are just alone.”

The Witzenberg Municipality did not respond to questions by deadline.

Anyone with information about the incident can anonymously contact Brigadier Makhaya Mkabile at 082 222 6744 and Lieutenant-Colonel Bonginkosi Libaya at 082 411 2042.

Alternatively contact Crime Stop at 086 0010 111 or SMS Crime Line at 32211.

Cape Times