A Mitchells Plain woman has recounted the horrific moments when she ran back home after hearing gunshots, and found her nine-year-old grandson, her daughter and another man shot and killed.
Five people were shot inside a house in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain on Tuesday night. The brutal attack took place in Viscount Street, Rocklands around 9pm when four unknown gunmen entered the premises and opened fire on the victims.
Little Zechariah Matthee, nine, was shot dead inside a wendy house, alongside Cleo Bailey, 19, and Mougsheen Daniels, 26.
Two other victims aged 51 and 36 were wounded in the attack.
A family member said: “I was at the shop across the veld when I heard gunshots going off.
"I ran back home and I heard people telling me that Zechariah was shot. His father passed away so I have been taking care of him.
“I immediately ran into the room, they shot Zechariah. He was shot in the face and in the head.
"I heard Mougsheen’s girlfriend shouting and when I got to the wendy house, I saw Mougsheen sitting, he was already shot in the head. My daughter, Cleo was lying by her bed, also shot in the head.”
“My brother was sitting on the bed and he was also shot in the arm, his arm is broken in two.
"They say that the gunmen were a group with masks, a few went to shoot in the house and another few went to shoot in the wendy house.”
Neighbours in the street said that the house is a problem in the area, as it was not the first shooting incident and is known as place where gangsters hide out.
One resident said: “This house needs to be closed down. It was raining bullets. I knew they were going to come shoot because for the past three weeks, the Fancy Boys have been taking over here. The Fancy Boys are even fighting with the community, they are saying it is their ground. They want us to be scared.”
Police spokesperson Andrè Traut said Saps launched an intensive manhunt following the brutal attack.
“Preliminary reports indicate that four unidentified gunmen opened fire on the premises before entering the house and shooting the victims.
"Detectives from the Anti-Gang Unit have been assigned to the investigation and are pursuing several promising leads to track down the perpetrators responsible for this heinous crime,” he said.
Anyone with information on the incident is urged to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the MySAPS mobile application.
Cape Times