A 28-year-old barber who was known for serving his community with pride was among three people gunned down within 24 hours in Lavender Hill, leaving residents frightened and demanding answers as a fresh wave of violence struck the area.
Moegamad Zain Sigourney was sitting outside his barbershop on Sunday morning when unknown gunmen riding bicycles allegedly approached him and opened fire. The attack happened at about 11am on Orchard Road in Hillview, near Lavender Hill.
Sigourney was operating his business from a Wendy house when he noticed the men coming towards him. A source said the young barber immediately realised he was in danger when the suspects began taking out firearms.
The source said: “Moegamad was not a gangster; he had no affiliation to any gang.
“When he noticed the jongens on the bicycles pulling out firearms, he jumped up and tried to run away, but they started shooting.”
The Afrikaans word “jongens” means boys or young men, but the source’s description made clear that the attackers were riding bicycles when they approached the barber.
Sigourney was struck in the back by at least seven bullets. Medical personnel declared him dead at the scene, bringing a sudden end to the life of a man residents described as hardworking, peaceful and committed to his family.
His death has left his loved ones and customers struggling to understand how a young man running a small barbershop could become the target of such a brutal attack. Residents said Sigourney was not known as a gang member and had built his reputation by cutting hair and helping people in the neighbourhood.
One resident, who asked not to be named because she feared retaliation, said her son had been on his way to Sigourney’s barbershop for a haircut when the shooting happened.
She said her son was almost at the shop when his daughter called him back. He turned around to hear what she wanted, and it was at that moment that the gunfire erupted nearby.
The resident said: “My son was on his way there; he was almost at the barbershop for his haircut when his daughter called him back.
“It was in that moment that he turned around to go hear what his daughter wanted that the shots went off.
“Shame, Moegamad was a good person. He was not a gangster at all. He has three sons and lives with his granny.”
The shooting happened less than a day after another deadly attack in the same broad area. A 40-year-old man was shot dead in St Boniface Street in St Montague Village, Lavender Hill, on Saturday evening. A 26-year-old man was also wounded in that attack.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said the two men were shot at about 6pm on Saturday, 5 September. Police members who attended the scene found both victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Twigg said: “Police members attended the crime scene where they found the victims with gunshot wounds to their bodies.
“The 40-year-old victim was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel, while the other victim was transported to a medical facility for treatment.
“According to reports, unknown suspects shot at the victims from a Toyota Quantum before fleeing the scene.”
The wounded 26-year-old reportedly remained injured for more than two-and-a-half hours before an ambulance arrived to take him to a medical facility. The delay has added to residents’ anger and fear, with the latest attacks once again raising concerns about safety, emergency response times and the danger faced by people living in the area.
Police said the attackers in the Saturday shooting fled and have not yet been arrested. The suspects involved in Sigourney’s murder were also still at large after the attack, leaving investigators with the task of tracing the people responsible for two separate shootings in a short period.
Twigg said Muizenberg police had opened a murder case for investigation after Sigourney was shot on Orchard Road in Hillview. The circumstances surrounding the killing remain under investigation, and police have not announced any arrests.
The barber’s death has affected more than just his family. His shop was a place where residents came for haircuts, conversation and the ordinary routines of daily life. The violence outside the Wendy house has now turned a familiar community space into the scene of a murder investigation.
For residents, the fact that the attackers allegedly arrived on bicycles has made the incident even more frightening. People going about their business may have little warning before a shooting begins, while witnesses are often left afraid to speak because of threats of retaliation.
The resident who spoke about Sigourney said she wanted people to remember him as a good person who was not involved in gangs. Her description echoed the words of the earlier source, who also stressed that he had no gang affiliation.
Attempts to reach Sigourney’s family for comment were unsuccessful. His relatives are now left to mourn a son, father and grandson, while his three sons face growing up without him.
Police are appealing to anyone with information about the St Montague Village shooting to come forward. Information can be given to Crime Stop on 08600 10111, or residents can use the MySAPS mobile application anonymously.
People with information about Sigourney’s murder are also urged to contact the police. Investigators need witnesses to share what they saw, including details about the bicycles, the gunmen, the direction in which they fled and any vehicles or people who may have been connected to the attack.
The two killings in less than 24 hours have once again placed Lavender Hill residents on edge. Another family has lost a loved one, another young man has been left injured, and a local business has become a crime scene. Until the suspects are arrested and brought before court, the questions surrounding the shootings will continue to hang over a community already tired of burying its own.
