Carnage in Khayelitsha: 11 shot dead in ‘revenge’ killing spree

The sprawling township of Khayelitsha was reduced to a bloodbath on Saturday, as nearly a dozen people were shot down by gunmen looking to settle the scores. The Western Cape settlement saw a further seven people end up ‘seriously wounded’, with a flurry of bullets accounting for 11 lives.

‘Revenge’ killings probed

The first murder of the day set off an even deadlier chain reaction. Retaliatory acts took place across Khayelitsha, with several foreign nationals also caught up in the violence. Here’s how the day of carnage unfolded:

• – The first victim was found in Banzi Street, Site B with several gunshot wounds next to a firearm at 10:00 on Saturday.
• – In a second incident that is believed to be a retaliation attack to the first murder, two Somali nationals were shot.
• – In the RR Section, three other males were shot dead later on Saturday afternoon
• – At a spaza shop in Y-Block, two other men were killed after being shot, one in the yard and another in a vehicle.
• – Two other Somali nationals were also gunned down near a spaza shop in the area.
• – Meanwhile, an additional two victims of the shooting incidents died while in hospital.

Arrests yet to be made in Khayelitsha gun battle

SAPS have since issued a statement on the matter, confirming that the shooting suspects are still at large on Sunday.

“Following the murder of a man in the RR Section in Khayelitsha on Saturday morning in a shooting incident by yet-to-be arrested assailants, several other shooting incidents that left eleven men dead and seven seriously wounded, have been reported in the area. Police have since reinforced deployments in the area.”

“Western Cape Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Thembisile Patekile has ordered the 72-hour Activation Plan for the mobilisation of resources in search of the gunmen. As part of the unfolding investigations, police are now in pursuit of specific leads.”