A mass shooting in the early hours of Saturday morning has left seven men dead in Kanana, an informal settlement on the outskirts of Gugulethu, Cape Town.
Kanana mass shooting: Here’s what we know
Police officials are treating the incident as a serious crime and are currently investigating all possible leads. An eighth body was found nearby, but it has not yet been confirmed whether it is connected to the same incident.
According to police, the shooting occurred at around 03:30. Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS), who were patrolling the area at the time, were alerted to gunfire and responded quickly.
When they arrived at the scene, they found the bodies of seven adult men, all of whom had been shot. The victims were found inside a home, specifically in the kitchen, where they had reportedly been socialising before the attack.
Police believe the men were ambushed by unknown suspects. This means that the attackers may have planned the attack in advance and waited for the right moment to strike while the victims were distracted.
Three other men who were also in the house, but sleeping in different parts of the building at the time, were not harmed.
This suggests that the attackers may have specifically targeted the seven men in the kitchen. The motive behind the shooting is not yet known.
Lieutenant General (Adv.) Thembisile Patekile, the Western Cape’s top police official, visited the crime scene on Saturday morning.
He met with detectives from the Serious and Violent Crimes Unit—a specialised branch of SAPS responsible for investigating major violent offences, such as murders and shootings.
He instructed them to leave no stone unturned in solving the case and identifying those responsible.
“Violent and firearm-related crimes remain a top priority for the Western Cape SAPS, and no resource will be spared in the pursuit of justice,” said Lieutenant General Patekile.
The victims’ identities have not been released, as police are likely still notifying their families.
At crime scenes like this, forensic investigators collect evidence such as bullet casings, fingerprints, and any other items that could help trace the attackers. Forensic evidence is material collected from a crime scene that helps solve crimes through scientific analysis.
Police continue to urge anyone with information about the attack to come forward. No arrests have been made so far, and the suspects remain at large.