Cape Town Shooting Tragedy: Former Athlete Bulelwa Mtshagi Killed, Family Members Injured

• Former Cape Town athlete Bulelwa Mtshagi was killed in a violent shooting at her home in Crossroads
• Family members were also injured, with one critically wounded and another shot in the leg
• The incident is part of a wider surge in violent crime on the Cape Flats, where dozens lost their lives over the weekend

A former athlete was shot seven times at her home on Friday, 16 January 2026, and sadly succumbed to her injuries in hospital.

According to Timeslive, Bulelwa Mtshagi was attacked at her Crossroads home in Cape Town, where her nephew's friend was also caught in the shooting and died on the spot, while her nephew remains in a critical condition at the hospital. Another family member, her 24-year-old son, was shot in the leg during the attack.

Mtshagi was among 26 people who lost their lives to violent incidents on the Cape Flats over the weekend, highlighting the escalating crime levels in the region. President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his grief over the deaths and denounced the ongoing violence, calling for urgent measures to restore safety in affected communities.

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Bulelwa Mtshagi's athletics career

Bulelwa Mtshagi featured consistently in local road races, particularly in the Cape Peninsula. In the 2006 Peninsula Marathon, she finished second in the women’s category in Green Point, a notable result in a competitive local field. She also appeared multiple times as a finishing runner in other Cape Peninsula events.

Records from the marathon show Mtshagi placing well in the women’s field over several years, regularly finishing among the top female competitors. Recent distance running results also list her among the leading women in local road races, including top-three finishes in regional events.

Rising crime in Cape Town

Cape Town continues to grapple with gang-related violence, as a young football star was also shot dead over the same weekend in Seawinds.

The killing of eight people in Philippi East over the weekend has intensified concerns about the spread of organised extortion rackets across the Western Cape. Six men and one woman were shot dead in the early hours of Saturday, 17 January 2026, while an eighth victim later succumbed to their injuries. Police believe the massacre is connected to extortion-related violence.

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Security analyst Eldred de Klerk says extortion syndicates typically prey on vulnerable, cash-based businesses such as spaza shops, informal traders and unlicensed operations.

In recent months, South Africa has lost several sports stars in tragic circumstances. In October 2025, veteran Border rugby player Sive “Richie McCaw” Tshaka, 34, was stabbed to death in Keiskammahoek. A few months later, in December, the 17-year-old Gqeberha schoolboy, Kungawo Booi, succumbed to the injuries he incurred during training at the Westering High School.

Springbok legends who passed away in 2025

Briefly News previously reported that 2025 was one of the darkest years in the history of the Springboks as several legendary figures lost their lives.

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Limpopo floods destroy 36 Giyani homes and leave 5-year-old dead as Cyril Ramaphosa visits the area

From the oldest living Springbok to more recently retired rugby stars, the year became a sombre chapter for South African rugby.

Source: Briefly News