Community Safety
With regard to the tavern shooting in Khayelitsha on 22 January 2020 where six suspects entered the premises and shot four victims:
- (a) How many other incidents of a similar nature have taken place in the past 24 months, (b) what were the motives and (c) what is the process of investigation in these cases;
- whether there are any common trends that the SAPS are picking up; if so, what are the relevant details?
The South African Police Service informed me as follows:
11. (1) (a) 15 cases
(b) Argument = 5
Inter gang conflict = 3
Revenge = 1
Robbery = 2
Motive unknown = 4
(c) A multi-disciplinary investigative team, including detectives, LCRC, FSL and Crime Intelligence, is activated and the SAPS 72 hour activation plan implemented. The crime scene is attended, witnesses identified and exhibits and forensic evidence collected for forensic analysis. Investigators task informers to assist with the tracing/identifying of suspects. The investigating officer is constantly in contact with the NPA for prosecutorial guidance.
(2) There are similarities in the modus operandi of the 15 identified cases in that the victims were all patrons of the taverns where the shootings occurred. These matters are still under investigation in an attempt to identify further possible motives for the shootings.
