KEY POINTS
- Gang violence in Elsies River has turned the area into a war zone.
- Residents say police arrive too late, leaving them vulnerable.
- A video shows gangsters opening fire in broad daylight.
Elsies River residents say they are afraid for their life because of the increasing gang violence, which they characterize as a “war zone.”
Residents live in fear as gang violence spirals out of control
Six people lost their lives in gang-related incidents over the weekend. Two innocent onlookers were caught in the crossfire on Monday. Residents have been cautioned by community WhatsApp groups to stay away from Eureka Estate, popularly referred to as “White City,” and Clarke Estate, which have seen a lot of violence.
According to police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi, Elsies River police are looking into murder and attempted murder cases.
On Monday, February 17, 2025, Elsies River police responded to a complaint. They discovered the body of a 63-year-old man who had been shot when they arrived at the crime site close to Heathview Court in Clarke Estate, Swartbooi said.
Medical staff pronounced the man deceased at the site. For treatment, a 15-year-old boy who was also shot was taken to a neighboring hospital.
Viral video captures shocking daylight shootout on busy street
According to IOL, a 50-second video of armed men shooting at passing cars along 35th Street in broad daylight went viral shortly after the shooting. A number of men can be seen sprinting and shooting in the footage, avoiding opponents’ gunshots. Before the group runs away, one man can be seen firing nonstop, reloading, and then firing again.
According to a mother from Eureka Estate who wished to remain anonymous, she has kept her kids at home from school since leaving the house is too risky.
“They are standing on the corner with their guns, running up and down the road shooting at each other without looking to see if there are innocent people or children around,” she stated, adding that they are preventing us from even going to the shop. “They are indifferent.
Law enforcement has been condemned by Elsies River Safety Initiative Chief Hamish Arries for their lack of proactive policing, claiming that promised reinforcements have not yet arrived.
Former Elsies River Community Policing Forum (CPF) leader Imraahn Mukaddam urged police to segregate communities that are prone to unrest and take illegal firearms off the streets.
“Community safety structures have been paralyzed by the dissolution of the CPF, leaving residents without a voice to express their concerns,” Mukaddam stated.
Arries has warned that a full-scale gang war is on the horizon and that immediate action is required, and he has requested Provincial Commissioner Lt. Gen. Thembisile Patekile to step in.
