Mitchell's Plain Shooting Leaves 1 Dead Outside Police Station, SA Split by Cape Town’s Rising Crime
- Two men were shot outside the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court and Police Station on Monday, 25 August 2025
- This shooting is the latest in a series of violent gun-related incidents in the City of Cape Town
- South Africans shared their thoughts on the shooting, with some blaming the police and politicians
- Michael Jacobs, Chairperson of the Community Police Forum of the Lentegeur Policing Precinct, spoke to Briefly News about the shooting
Source: Getty Images
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
WESTERN CAPE – One man has been killed and another injured after a deadly shooting in Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town.
The shooting, which happened outside the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court and Police Station, happened on Monday, 25 August 2025, at approximately 11:30 am. The court was placed on lockdown, while proceedings continued inside.
The shooting, just the latest in a string of gun violence in the City of Cape Town, is believed to be gang-related.
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Why were the men shot?
While the motive is still not yet confirmed, the Mitchell’s Plain Police Chief said that the victims were believed to be members of the Fancy Boys gang,
Brigadier Brian Muller said that the men had appeared in court in connection with a double murder case and were waiting outside for a friend when they were attacked.
Four armed suspects were involved in the attack and fled following the shooting. A police officer who was stationed at the court witnessed the incident and fired at the shooter, but all four men escaped.
“A man (24) died on the scene, while a man (27) was shot in the back,” Brigadier Muller stated.
Video footage of the incident has since surfaced online, showing the men’s bodies lying in the street, and the matter is currently being investigated by the Anti-Gang Unit.
Community Police Forum (CPF) chairperson calls for urgent action
Speaking to Briefly News about the shooting, Michael Jacobs, the Chairperson of the Community Police Forum (CPF) of the Lentegeur Policing Precinct, called on to urgently resolve the issue of chronic understaffing at stations, which bore the brunt of these gang-related shootings.
"There's a need to bring back retired experienced police officers who know how to deal with gangs.
"Not only on a disruptive level, but also an astute investigative capacity and a total revamp of the crime intelligence component to deal proactively with the gang threat," Jacobs said.
He also called for President Cyril Ramaphosa to immediately meet with the affected communities and to boost the Anti-Gang Unit with the necessary detective capacity and resources.
"Nowhere in Mitchell's Plain is the community safe, and these brazen attacks in front of the magistrate's court and police station in broad daylight just heighten that sense of insecurity. It's a situation that we can no longer tolerate, and the government needs to step in to prevent a full-scale bloodbath and all-out gang war on the Cape Flats," Jacobs stated.
Source: Getty Images
15-year-old killed in Elsies River
The Mitchell's Plain shooting is the latest in a string of gun violence to hit the city over the past few days. On Saturday, 23 August 2025, a teenager was shot dead in Elsies River on the Cape Flats. The 15-year-old’s body was found in a yard with gunshot wounds to the head.
Three other victims, aged 13, 16 and 63, were wounded and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The motive for the shooting is not yet known.
How did South Africans react to the latest deaths?
Social media users were left frustrated by the latest deaths, with many blaming politicians and the police, while others called on the community to do more.
On the Mitchell’s Plain shooting:
Riaan Morris stated:
“Not even at the court or police station are you safe.”
Juju Adams asked:
“Every day, there is a shooting in the Cape Flats. But where is the South African Police Service (SAPS), and the Democratic Alliance? Now they want us to keep begging to bring SANDF in.”
Paul Marc Aupaix said:
“Yes, and tell me, how will the DA fix taxis holding Cape Town citizens hostage if they can't fix Mitchell's Plain. We need strong leaders who will fix Mitchell's Plain in a week, like Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi.”
Ibtishaam Baartman stated:
“People don't seem to want to talk about crime, that's the problem, not really the police. How can SAPS help if people are hiding and covering for these gangsters?”
On the Elsies River shooting:
Molebogeng Antonette More said:
“What’s happening there is so sad. It seems as though nobody cares. How many people must lose their lives before the City of Cape Town takes action?”
Ivan Perring added:
“The communities are to be blamed for the killings on the Cape Flats. They know who the gun-running gangsters are, including the drug lords and the criminals. But they choose to remain silent without telling the police the relevant information. There is an anonymous number to report them.”
Otshepeng Tshepi Martins stated:
“Who would kill the 15-year-old boy? Whoever killed the boy should be arrested and charged.”
Errol Wip Ester asked:
“When will it stop? There seems to be no end in sight to the senseless killings.”
Other shootings in the City of Cape Town
Briefly News reported that the Mother City has been rocked by numerous shootings in the month of August 2025.
The Muizenberg area has been hardest hit, as eight people were shot dead in the area in the space of four days.
In Kraaifontein, an 11-year-old was the victim of a shootout between two rival gangs on 19 August.
On 22 August, a three-month-old was shot and killed when armed men entered a flat and opened fire.
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Source: Briefly News
