An alleged leader of the notorious Fancy Boys gang has been gunned down in Kalksteenfontein, stoking fears of renewed violence across several Cape Flats communities already reeling from a string of shootings this week.
The man, known on the streets as Pang and described locally as an alleged dik ding in the gang hierarchy, was killed in what appears to have been a targeted hit on Thursday. The attack unfolded on the bridge on Jakkelsvlei Avenue, where Pang was shot while seated in his vehicle.
Residents say the killing has left the neighbourhood on edge, with many bracing for possible revenge attacks.
A local resident is now fearing for the peace of the neighbourhood, saying: “En nou gaan dit [the shootings] nie ophou nie.”
Police have confirmed the Kalksteenfontein attack, which also left a second man wounded.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said that a 36-year-old male was shot and fatally wounded, and a 30-year-old male was injured.
Van Wyk reported: “The deceased sustained multiple shots to the body, and the injured victim sustained gunshot wounds to the face, arm, and hand.
“As they were driving a blue-coloured Audi vehicle passed, and the occupants randomly started shooting at them.”
He added that a murder and attempted murder cases were opened for investigation.
No arrests have yet been announced, and the motive has not been officially confirmed. However, community members fear that the killing of an alleged gang figure of Pang’s stature could trigger a fresh cycle of tit-for-tat shootings in an area long scarred by turf wars and organised crime.
The Kalksteenfontein incident was not an isolated eruption of gun violence. Within hours, other parts of the Cape Flats were also hit by shootings that claimed more lives and spread anxiety among commuters and parents.
In Manenberg, a drive-by shooting on Duinefontein Road claimed the life of a 39-year-old man early on Thursday morning, after unidentified gunmen opened fire on a group of people waiting for transport to work.
Meanwhile, a drive-by shooting on Duinefontein Road in Manenberg claimed the life of a 39-year-old man after unidentified gunmen opened fire at a group of people who were waiting for a taxi on their way to work.
The incident took place in Johanna Court around 6am, when the man was shot in the head and a woman, who is believed to be his girlfriend, was shot in the chest.
Gunmen are alleged to have fired multiple shots at close range before fleeing, leaving terrified commuters scrambling for cover. The man died at the scene, while the woman was rushed to hospital. Her condition has not been officially disclosed, but residents say the attack has shaken those who rely on early-morning public transport along Duinefontein Road.
Police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk confirmed the shooting, saying: “Manenberg police registered two counts of attempted murder following a shooting incident on 23 April at 6pm at Johanna court on Duinefontein Road, Manenberg.
“The motive for the attack forms part of the police investigation. The suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested.”
The reference to two counts of attempted murder rather than a murder charge suggests that SAPS is still consolidating case details and witness statements, even as residents maintain that one victim died on the scene. The discrepancy underscores how chaotic these incidents often are, with information emerging in fragments in the immediate aftermath.
While police probe the Manenberg shooting, parents in Lotus River are grappling with the trauma of yet another brazen gun attack, this time outside a primary school at afternoon pick-up.
In another brazen shooting, the community of Lotus River was rocked by an armed robbery outside De Duine Primary School at pick-up time on Wednesday afternoon.
According to a bystander, the incident occurred at 2.40pm as a scholar transport driver was shot in the neck and rushed to a hospital for treatment.
Gunfire erupted as children were being dismissed from De Duine Primary, forcing educators, learners and parents to scramble for safety. Witnesses say the attack appeared to be linked to an armed robbery targeting an individual in or near a parent’s vehicle, rather than the school itself, but the timing and location have left families deeply unsettled.
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond confirmed that the shooting incident occurred while learners were being dismissed.
Hammond reported: “The incident allegedly involved a passenger in a parent’s vehicle, who sustained a gunshot wound and was transported to the hospital for medical treatment.
“SAPS members attended the school and worked closely with school management to ensure the orderly and safe dismissal of learners and educators.”
The WCED has not confirmed whether psychosocial support will be deployed to the school, but Hammond’s comments suggest that immediate priority was given to calming the situation and getting children safely off the premises in the wake of the shooting.
Across Kalksteenfontein, Manenberg and Lotus River, the pattern is grimly familiar: drive-by attacks, high-calibre weapons, and communities caught in the crossfire of targeted shootings and robberies. In each case, suspects fled the scene and have yet to be arrested, leaving residents fearful that the same guns – and possibly the same gunmen – could strike again.
In Kalksteenfontein, the killing of the alleged Fancy Boys figure has added a volatile layer to existing tensions. Residents say that while some are relieved that a feared gangster is no longer on their streets, many more are terrified of what might follow in a neighbourhood where violence is often answered with more violence.
In Manenberg, already one of the province’s most heavily policed gang hotspots, the early-morning shooting has deepened the sense of vulnerability among workers who leave home before sunrise, often walking through contested territories just to reach a taxi rank.
And in Lotus River, the fact that shots rang out within sight of a primary school gate at 2.40pm – a time when pavements are crowded with children – has once again raised questions about safety in and around learning spaces on the Cape Flats.
For now, all three incidents remain under investigation, with SAPS appealing for witnesses and information. But among residents, the immediate concern is more basic: getting through the next day without another burst of gunfire shattering the fragile calm.
