Khayelitsha tavern shooting
| Khayelitsha tavern shooting | |
|---|---|
| Location | Sihawu Crescent, Site B, Khayelitsha, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa |
| Coordinates | 34°01′26″S 18°40′25″E / 34.0239°S 18.6736°E |
| Target | Employees and patrons |
Attack type | Mass shooting |
| Deaths | 7 |
| Injured | 7 |
The Khayelitsha tavern shooting was a mass shooting which occurred on the morning of 8 March 2020, killing seven people and injuring a further seven people.
Background
[edit]Khayelitsha residents were found to not trust the police. Extortion activity by gangs in endemic in the town and it is more difficult to stop it than in other places because gangs have "become entrenched in some important areas". The senior advisor to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, Peter Gastrow, said that the police had failed to properly find and investigate cases of extortion.[1]
Shooting
[edit]It took place at a tavern in Khayelitsha, South Africa. and resulted in the deaths of seven people.[2][3] An additional seven people were injured in the shooting including a six-year-old girl.[2][4] Six people were shot dead at the tavern at the time of the event. The body of the seventh victim, the owner of the house the tavern was based in, was found a short while later at another location.[5] A 32 year old suspect allegedly involved in the shooting was arrested the following day.[6] A representative for the Western Cape provincial government stated there were fifteen previous mass shootings in the area that had similarities with this event.[3][7]
Investigation and trial
[edit]A 32 year old suspect allegedly involved in the shooting was arrested the following day.[6] A representative for the Western Cape provincial government stated there were fifteen previous mass shootings in the area that had similarities with this event.[3][7]
Gcinithemba Beja and Fundile Maseti, both members of "The Guptas" gang, were convicted of seven counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, and criminal possession of a weapon and were sentenced to 14 life terms each for carrying out the massacre. They were known to extort protection fees from local businesses.[8] During their trial, it was revealed that several police officers in Khayelitsha were working as informants for "The Guptas" gang, and that they attempted to intimidate a group of witnesses of the massacre talking to a detective at a police station about what they saw.[9]
Responses
[edit]Tina Joemat-Pettersson, the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police of the National Assembly of South Africa, called the perpetrators of the massacre 'monsters' and said that the shooting had 'horrified' her.[10] Khayelitsha Development Forum chairperson Ndithini Tyido said that '[they] appreciate the speedy arrest, and we hope more will be arrested and harsh sentences will be handed down.'[11]
References
[edit]- ^ "All 13 who died in Khayelitsha shooting spree named". Cape Argus. May 23, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2025 – via Independent Online.
- ^ a b Shoba, Sandisiwe (March 9, 2020). "TAVERN MURDERS: First arrest after seven shot dead in Khayelitsha". Daily Maverick. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- ^ a b c Mkentane, Odwa (March 10, 2020). "Police closing in on more suspects after Khayelitsha tavern shooting". Cape Times. Retrieved March 10, 2020 – via Independent Online.
- ^ Evans, Jenni (March 8, 2020). "'These people are monsters': Parly's police committee on Khayelitsha massacre". News24. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- ^ "Body of seventh Khayelitsha shooting victim found". Cape Times. March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020 – via Independent Online.
- ^ a b "Suspected, 32, arrested over Khayelitsha bloodbath". Cape Times. March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020 – via Independent Online.
- ^ a b Dolley, Caryn (November 27, 2023). "Khayelitsha massacre: Cape cops 'snitched on witness to gang'". Daily Maverick. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
- ^ Francke, Robin-Lee (April 19, 2024). "Khayelitsha mass murderers sentenced to 14 life terms each". Independent Online. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
- ^ Booysen, Chevon (November 30, 2023). "Links between gangs and cops laid bare in judgment". Cape Times. Retrieved January 29, 2025 – via Independent Online.
- ^ "Khayelitsha tavern killers are 'monsters' – Joemat-Pettersson". The Citizen. March 9, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
- ^ Mkentane, Odwa (March 10, 2020). "Police closing in on more suspects after Khayelitsha tavern shooting". Cape Times. Retrieved January 29, 2025 – via Independent Online.