Police Minister describes Cape Flats as ‘killing fields’ of the WC

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has described the Cape Flats as the “killing fields” of the Western Cape, following the shooting of seven men in Gugulethu’s Kanana informal settlement this morning.

The men were ambushed by unknown assailants while socialising at a residence.

Police on patrol were alerted to a shooting, where they discovered the bodies of the victims with gunshot wounds.

On Tuesday, 24 June 2025,  three bodies of men aged between 26 and 35 were discovered in the C Section of the Samora Machel informal settlement, which is near Kanana informal settlement and the third incident is from Thursday, where three suspected hijackers were shot dead.

Mchunu has condemned the killings, stating that the Police Ministry and Police Top Management must refuse to treat this as a normal trend and keep the normal methods of policing in place.

“The situation requires full implementation of what the Ministry and Management have discussed and concluded over a considerable period of time now. This turn of events is ugly and poses fundamental questions about the safety of people in that area. One thing that is crystal clear is that murderers are out there to kill. It’s as if we have to choose between the people and the murderers; we actually do not have a choice,” says Mchunu.

He adds that the Police have a mandate to protect the lives of the people, with no resources spared.

“The situation demands a targeted approach before these murderers intensify their terror on people. They are not unknown to police; they have to be found and confronted. It was for this purpose that Operation Shanela 2 was launched on Friday. The operation is designed to take decisive action against high murder rates, the proliferation of illegal firearms, drug trafficking, and gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). It represents an intensified, intelligence-led approach involving SAPS operational units, specialised task teams, and intergovernmental collaboration. We call on all levels of Police Management to act decisively and urgently, stressing that communities cannot be abandoned to live in fear and under siege.”

Mchunu has urged the National Police Commissioner and his team to activate and unleash all police resources to confront criminality and criminals.

Members of the public are urged to support law enforcement efforts by sharing information that may lead to arrests and help bring perpetrators to justice.