Strandfontein shootings prompt increased police presence near local high school

Shootings in Strandfontein that began on Saturday night, 17 October and continued into Monday, 19 October, have prompted a stepped-up safety response, with police investigators and Metro Police deployed to the area amid concerns over gang-related violence, Cape {town} Etc reports.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, 20 October, Alderman Elton Jansen said he had met with the Strandfontein SAPS station commander, Capt. Antonie, who assured him that police were working to address the violence.

Jansen said Lieutenant Colonel FC Van Wyk had also confirmed that ‘seasoned detectives and investigators are dealing with these murders’ and that the team would ‘not leave any stone unturned’ in investigating the killings and suspected gang-related violence.

Jansen said he had contacted the City of Cape Town’s Metro Police, who had deployed officers to the area, particularly around Strandfontein High School.

‘I want to assure residents that everyone in the Safety and Security cluster, including the CPF, SAPS and the City of Cape Town Metro, are doing everything in their power to stabilise the situation in Strandfontein,’ he said.

The councillor also met with school principal Mr Abrahams on Tuesday morning as messages circulated among parents, some of whom were collecting their children while Jansen was at the school.

Ward Neighbourhood Safety Officers will also monitor the area and report suspicious activity, he said.

Police have previously confirmed that three people were killed in shootings on Friday, 16 October and Saturday, 17 October, while two others were injured in the Saturday incident. The latest reported shooting on Monday night requires further confirmation from police.

The Strandfontein Community Policing Forum (CPF) confirmed that a shooting on Saturday night, 17 October, claimed two lives and left others injured, calling on law enforcement agencies to use all available resources to track down those responsible.

This comes shortly after Cape {town} Etc previously reported on Strandfontein’s performance in the Suburb Safety Index, where the area ranked ahead of several wealthier suburbs.

Meanwhile, United Independent Movement (UIM) mayoral candidate Kurt Oliver has called for urgent, coordinated intervention in Strandfontein, urging SAPS, Metro Police and City Law Enforcement to work together to tackle gang violence and shootings. In an open letter to the City’s mayor, the Western Cape provincial police commissioner and Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, Oliver called for intelligence-led operations, increased visible policing and stronger investigations into violent crime. See post below:



The investigations into the killings and suspected gang-related violence remain ongoing.

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Picture: Kurt Oliver / Facebook

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