PHILIPPI – Cape Town police have confirmed that another victim has died in hospital, pushing the death toll from the Marikana mass shooting in Philippi East to eight.
According to police, one of the victims is a 43-year-old woman who is believed to be the owner of the ‘illegal liquor outlet’.
Three armed men entered a shebeen on Protea Road just after midnight and opened fire, killing six people in an alleged extortion-related attack.
Captain FC van Wyk, provincial police spokesperson, said one man died on the way to hospital, while another victim died after arriving at hospital.
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Two others are still being treated in hospital with serious injuries.
Van Wyk said: “The case docket will be updated to eight counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder…serious violent crimes detectives have their sights set on three known suspects who are still at large.”
Buyisile Makasi, chairperson of the Nyanga Community Police Forum Subdistrict board, said the gunmen were allegedly searching for the owner of the shebeen.
Makasi said when the owner could not be found, they started shooting the patrons who were sitting inside the shebeen.
He said residents are fed up with extortionists terrorising the community.
“The community is upset and people are living in fear. They are asking how long they must endure these multiple killings? Today it was that shebeen, but who knows which one is next? They want to know if law enforcement agencies have a plan to curb these extortionists,” said Makasi.
The Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, has urged the police to deploy “a strong, specialised investigation team” to ensure that those responsible are apprehended.
Premier Alan Winde and Marais will be meeting with the acting National Police Minister Firoz Cachalia within the next three weeks to discuss urgent policing needs in the Western Cape.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 08600 10111 or to share information anonymously via the MySAPS mobile application.
