A 55-year-old Cape Town homeowner whose driveway was turned into a bloody murder scene has hit back hard at social media gossips spreading “false information” that his property is a drug den, after two men were shot dead right outside his front door in Strandfontein and two others were left fighting for their lives.
Cecil Vivier says he is deeply frustrated by the false claims doing the rounds online after the shooting, including rumours that the four men were gunned down inside his house. In reality, the deadly ambush happened outside his property while he was out buying food.
“No one was at home when the shooting took place,” he said.
While he was away at the shops, Vivier got a phone call from a neighbour telling him that people had been shot outside his house and that “bodies were lying in the driveway”. When he rushed back home, he found neighbours gathered in the street speculating about what had happened while police, law enforcement officers, and paramedics worked at the scene.
In the aftermath of the attack, dried blood stains remained on the ground outside the house. At least four bullets had pierced the front window, leaving shattered glass across the floor of one of the bedrooms and additional bullet holes in the wall.
Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel FC van Wyk confirmed that two men, aged 33 and 44, were declared dead on arrival, while the two surviving victims were rushed to hospital for medical treatment. The two men killed in the attack have been identified as Mogamat Tauriq Rylands and Kurt Barnes.
According to reports, two white VW Polos with unknown registration numbers pulled up to the four victims. Gunmen opened fire on the men before both cars sped off.
“The motive for the attack is believed to be gang-related. Strandfontein detectives are investigating two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder,” Van Wyk said.
It is understood that all four victims were members of the Junky Funky Kids gang, which is currently locked in a bitter war with the rival Fancy Boys gang.
Vivier knew the victims personally because they were friends with his son and regularly visited the property. He explained that Barnes was the father of his son’s best friend, adding that he had built a close bond with the younger man over the years.
“He was like a son to me, very respectful until he started getting involved with the wrong crowds,” Vivier said.
Shaken by the violence, the homeowner said he is deeply worried about how the shooting affects the wider community, noting that innocent neighbours could easily have been hit by stray bullets if they had not taken cover inside their homes.
“It is frustrating, and it is scary because this has never ever happened in this area. Strandfontein is known to be fairly quiet. Shootings like this never happen here, so it’s obviously scary that this happened on my doorstep,” he said.
More than anything, Vivier is outraged by claims that drugs are being sold or kept at his home. He pointed out that police have searched his premises several times in the past and have never found any illegal substances or contraband.
While he has opened his doors to people battling drug addiction—giving them a place to stay and helping some get into rehabilitation programmes—Vivier is adamant that helping addicts does not mean he tolerates crime or allows drugs near his family.
“I lost my wife through drugs, and I see what it’s doing to these youngsters. Never in a million years will I ever endorse drug-taking or selling, and I most certainly would never allow any of that nonsense inside my home when I have my kids living here,” he said.
The shooting and the rumours surrounding his home have left Vivier both fearful and frustrated. On the street outside his house, police have stepped up their presence, with at least two patrol vehicles passing through the area three times in a short space of time and officers stopping to check on people's safety: “Everything still okay there?”
Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum (CPF) sub-district deputy chairperson Sandy Schuter said the organisation is “deeply saddened and outraged” by the deadly attack, stressing that the forum stands firmly against gangs and criminals who think they can rule the streets through terror.
“This violence has no place in Strandfontein. We cannot and will not normalise the bloodshed, fear, and grief that criminal elements and gang violence try to force upon our neighbourhoods.
“Lives are being shattered, and families are being torn apart by acts of cowardice that destroy the very fabric of our community,” Schuter said.
She confirmed that extra law enforcement officers have been brought into the neighbourhood to restore calm.
“The CPF can confirm that a stabilisation plan is currently in place, and additional law enforcement units have been deployed to the area. While every resource is being utilised to track down those responsible and bring them to justice swiftly, public safety remains a shared responsibility.
“We urge residents to remain vigilant, support one another during this difficult time, and play an active role in keeping our neighbourhoods safe,” Schuter said.
Police investigations into the Strandfontein shooting are ongoing, and no arrests have been made yet.