MITCHELLS PLAIN – Residents of Mitchells Plain are demanding an end to the relentless gang killings plaguing their community, with emotions reaching boiling point after a weekend of bloodshed that saw 16 people shot and seven killed. A peace march organised in response to the escalating tragedy was tragically disrupted by yet another shooting, underscoring the urgent need for intervention.
The Save Mitchells Plain organisation, in collaboration with the Malachi Foundation, various political parties, faith-based institutions, and concerned residents, organised a peace and prayer motorcade on Sunday to honour the lives lost and offer support to affected areas. Hundreds of people gathered in solidarity, with cars adorned with posters demanding "Gun-free streets and silence the guns." The motorcade travelled through areas ravaged by violence, including Beacon Valley, Portlands, Westridge, Lentegeur, Tafelsig, and Eastridge, stopping to pray for peace in each location.
National Coloured Congress councillor (NCC) Rochelle Minnaar, Save Mitchell’s Plain’s Shahiem van Nelson as well as the Malachi Foundation were the main organisers of the march. They were supported by various other organisations, religious groups, political parties and community policing forums who work in the area.
“The prayer-carcade was about showing support and solidarity," said Minnaar. "We didn’t know what the weather would be like, but we wanted to reach as many areas within Mitchell’s Plain as possible. We stopped in various areas where we paused to pray but when we got to Beacon Valley, we heard that two more children had just been shot. That’s the reason we’re doing this, to show support to the families and the community at large. We are hearing your voices. We are acknowledging our youth who are dying and the mothers who are crying."
However, the motorcade's first stop in Beacon Valley was met with a stark reminder of the ongoing crisis. As the group arrived, they found the street cornered off with police tape, officers attending to the scene of a recent drive-by shooting that left two men dead and a third wounded in the leg, according to a police statement.
Shahiem Van Nelson from Save Mitchells Plain emphasised the importance of reclaiming the streets through prayer and spiritual reflection. "The plan is to visit those areas where the shootings took place," he said. "Everybody is talking about the gang violence, the person who was shot or the perpetrators but no one is concentrating on those who are traumatised through these shootings. We felt the need to go to those communities and say ‘you are not alone, we are standing in solidarity with you and we feel your pain’. We believe in the higher power who can assist those traumatised families.”
Resident Abigail van Sensie from Beacon Valley expressed her growing fear and frustration. "It is important for me to come and join the march because it is time for us as a community to stand together because of the killings," she said. "What is happening to our children is sad. Everyone is affected – it was not my child today, but it might be my child tomorrow.”
In Beacon Valley, two separate shootings at tuck shops left three dead and six injured. Shootings in Tafelsig and Town Centre each claimed two lives. On the evening of July 4, a shooting in Portlands killed two young men and injured another, while a fourth person escaped unharmed. Police are actively investigating these incidents as part of their ongoing efforts to curb the violence.
“This violence doesn’t just affect the household where the child comes from, it affects all of us," said Minnaar. "There's a need for trauma counselling and we can’t ignore the issues of gangsterism and drug addiction. These are massive problems but like the saying goes, 'you eat an elephant piece by piece.' We have to start somewhere.”
The organisers expressed hope that the motorcade sent a strong message, not only to those fuelling gang violence but also to government. Minnaar said the community was united in grief and frustration, tired of burying their children and demanding urgent action to end the bloodshed.
In response to the violence, police conducted a series of raids in the area. Police spokesperson, FC Van Wyk said: “Since 2pm on 2025-07-03 to 2am on 2025-07-04, the members were divided into teams and areas such as Beacon Valley, Tafelsig and Portlands were targeted and several houses were searched. A total of 43 identified gang houses were searched.”
The operation resulted in the arrest of 21 suspects. Five firearms and various ammunition were seized, and seven suspects aged 17 to 46 were arrested for possession of unlicensed and prohibited firearms and ammunition. Additionally, fourteen suspects aged 20 to 39 were arrested on charges of murder and attempted murder, while a 30-year-old was arrested for illegal possession of ammunition. Police said the suspects are expected to appear at the Mitchell's Plain Magistrate’s Court today.
Western Cape Provincial Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Ricardo Mackenzie, joined residents and said that police need more resources and proper crime fighting strategies. He added: “It is sad to see Mitchells Plain bleeding again and it is not the first time – it has been coming for years. The problem is our crime intelligence. The staff at our police stations are completely understaffed and we urge our colleagues to help with crime intelligence in our communities. We urge the communities to please join us and work with us in resolving these matters but the justice system needs to come to the party. The Department of Justice cannot allow these gangsters on the streets within 24 hours, that is also a big problem in fighting crime in the country.”
Criminologist, Dr Simon Howell said there are “no easy answers” in terms of how to stop the violence. “The way to do this right now would be to have short, medium and long term interventions. Short term would be immediate reactionary type of policing operations and the type of stabilisation undertakings that would need to occur. Medium term would be engaging with the people within the gangs and around the gangs and trying to find alternative pathways for them. And the long term would be stopping kids getting into gangs in the first place,” Howell said.
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