Cape Town’s gang violence reached crisis levels between August and September 2025, leaving dozens dead and entire communities paralysed by fear.
How the Fancy Boys changed the face of Cape Town’s gangland
In Mitchells Plain alone, more than 50 shootings were recorded in just one week, with 26 people killed and 20 critically injured
The violence spread far beyond one neighbourhood. In Athlone, a man was assassinated outside the magistrate’s court.
In Bonteheuwel, a two-month-old baby, Moegsien Isaacs, was shot dead when gunmen stormed a home. In Lotus River, five bodies were found on a street corner, while six people were gunned down in Hout Bay in an extortion-related attack
Investigators believe much of the bloodshed is tied to turf wars involving some of Cape Town’s most notorious gangs — the Fancy Boys, The Firm, the Nice Times, and the Mongrels.
But it is the Fancy Boys who have emerged as one of the most disruptive forces in recent years.
Unlike established groups such as the Americans, Hard Livings, or Sexy Boys, the Fancy Boys were long dismissed as a “second order” gang.
But from 2022, they grew rapidly by recruiting defectors from rival groups, offering better pay, permanent weapons, and loyalty incentives.
Their strategy of sending “scout parties” into rival territories allowed them to expand aggressively into areas like Manenberg, Wesbank, Woodstock, Bonteheuwel, and Mitchells Plain
Their rise sparked unusual alliances, including a Hard Livings–28s partnership to curb their advance. Yet, despite resistance, the Fancy Boys managed to redraw parts of the Cape Flats’ gang map, fuelling instability and more bloodshed
For communities, the result has been devastating. Families live under curfews, children are kept indoors, and funerals for young victims have become common.
The Fancy Boys may not yet rival Cape Town’s largest gangs in resources, but their disruption has left neighbourhoods in chaos and reinforced the city’s reputation as a battleground
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