Western Cape police have launched a large-scale manhunt and intensified deployments in Khayelitsha after six men were killed in two separate shooting incidents just hours apart in Makhaza and Harare informal settlements.
Detectives from the serious and violent crimes unit are investigating the deadly incidents, which occurred between Sunday night and the early hours of Monday morning.
The first shooting took place at about 7.30pm on Sunday in Khonkxa Street, Makhaza.
According to police, family members heard several gunshots coming from an informal dwelling and rushed to investigate.
Upon entering the structure, they discovered the bodies of three men aged between 20 and 24, all suffering from fatal gunshot wounds.
Just hours later, at about 1.38am on Monday, another triple murder unfolded at a shebeen in Endlovini, Harare
Three men believed to be in their thirties were shot during the attack and later died from their injuries at a nearby medical facility.
Gunmen still on the run
The gunmen fled both scenes and have not yet been arrested.
Police said the motives behind the shootings remain unclear and are currently under investigation.
The police have since intensified deployments in the affected communities as part of efforts to stabilise the area and locate those responsible for the heinous crimes.
The latest killings have once again drawn attention to persistent concerns over violent crime and gun violence in parts of the Western Cape.
The shootings come amid an especially violent weekend in the province. In Stellenbosch, six people were also killed in separate incidents on Saturday night, heightening fears over escalating violence across the Western Cape.
Meanwhile, crime statistics released last week highlighted a decrease in violent crime by 4.6% overall, with murders decreased by 9.5% and house robberies falling by 20.4% compared to the same period in 2025.
