A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy was killed in a mass shooting on Tuesday evening in which five people were shot inside a house in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain.
The wrede attack took place in Viscount Street around 9pm when four unknown gunmen entered the premises and started opening fire on the victims.
Little Zechariah Matthee, 9, was shot dead inside the main house on the property, while his aunt Cleo Bailey, 19, and Mougsheen Daniels, 26, were killed in a wendy house in the yard.
Two other victims aged 51 and 36 were wounded in the attack.
According to a family member of the deceased, Zechariah is her grandson and Cleo Bailey is her daughter.
The woman, who does not want to be named, explained: “I was at the shop across the veldjie when I heard gunshots going off.
“I ran back home and I heard people telling me that Zechariah was shot. I am Zachariah’s grandmother from his father’s side. But his father passed away, so I have been taking care of him.b
“I immediately ran into the room, they shot Zechariah lelik. He was shot in the face and in the head.
“I heard Mougsheen’s girlfriend shouting and when I got to the wendy house, I saw Mougsheen sitting. He was already shot in the head. My daughter, Cleo, was lying by her bed, also shot in the head.
“My brother was sitting on the bed and he was also shot in the arm, his arm is broken in two. They say that the gunmen were a group with masks. A few went to shoot in the house and another few went to shoot in the wendy house.”
Neighbours in the street said that the house is a problem in the area, as it is not the first shooting incident and is known as a pela pos where gangsters are hiding out.
One resident said: “This house needs to be closed down because the Fancy Boys hou hier uit.
“It was raining bullets. I knew they were going to come shoot because for the past three weeks, the Fancy Boys have been taking over here. The Fancy Boys are even fighting with the community. They are saying it is their ground. They want us to be scared.”
When the Daily Voice arrived at Viscount Street on Wednesday morning, the street was filled with police vans as officers searched for evidence and took some men in for general questioning.
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut confirmed the South African Police Service in the Western Cape has launched an intensive manhunt following the brutal attack.
He said: “Preliminary reports indicate that four unidentified gunmen opened fire on the premises before entering the house and shooting the victims.
“Detectives from the Anti-Gang Unit have been assigned to the investigation and are pursuing several promising leads to track down the perpetrators responsible for this heinous crime.”
The SAPS calls on community members to assist by providing any information that may help advance the investigation. Information may be shared anonymously via Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or through the MySAPS mobile application.