Ocean View under siege by warring gangs as additional forces deployed

Following a spate of gang-related incidents in the Ocean View area in Cape Town over the weekend, reinforced deployments have been rolled out to try and contain the volatile area. The bolstered police presence in the area follows the murder of a 25-year-old man on Saturday, in which three suspects targeted him and his brother, who was injured in the attack. 

There were no further incidents of violence on Sunday evening, however the reinforced deployment of officers remain in the area monitoring the situation. One suspect has been arrested in connection with the killing. 

Anti Gang Unit members, Tactical Response Team members, Public Order Police and additional detectives are deployed in the area to monitor flare-ups  and trace suspects.

SAPS deploy additional forces to Ocean View  

South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said that following the shooting of the 25-year-old man, further incidents took place in which vehicles were torched and gunfire echoed through the streets into the evening. 

A video has since been widely shared showing concerned residents taking cover as alleged gang-members scurry around in broad daylight opening fire on one another. The harrowing video also captures suspects fleeing from a burning second story apartment that was set alight amid the commotion. 

Potelwa said that the officers in the area are now working to quell the chaos. 

“Western Cape police have reinforced deployments in the Ocean View area following sporadic incidents of shooting, public violence, attacks and damage to property that are linked to conflict between warring gangs in the area and occurred late on Saturday,” she said. 

“A 25-year-old man was shot dead and his brother injured when three suspects shot at them late on Saturday afternoon. Later in the evening a large group of men apparently responding to the shooting incident torched two vehicles at 19:00 close to the shooting scene.”

One arrest made

She said that police have successfully apprehended one suspect, and that moe arrests are imminent. 

“A 23-year-old suspect who was  part of the group was  apprehended after he was found with a home-made firearm (zip gun) and ammunition. Meanwhile two people are being questioned by detectives in connection with the shooting incident. A 19 year old was arrested for one of the two vehicles that were set alight.”

Ocean View detectives are probing murder, attempted murder as well as malicious damage to property cases. 

She said that the area is “relatively quiet” at the moment as police continue to keep a watchful eye on the situation.