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Children brought to heel The acting National Minister of Social Development, Sindisiwe Chikunga, visited Khayamandi last Thursday (21 May), alongside Stellenbosch ward councillor Ayanda Tomose (left). During her engagement with residents, concerns were raised over the growing scourge of substance abuse, particularly among young people in the area. Chikunga urged locals caught in addiction to seek help and warned against misusing social grants. As part of Child Protection Month, the minister highlighted the growing challenges faced by parents in raising children in today’s society, noting that some youths are taking advantage of their rights while parents struggle to maintain discipline and guidance.
Township under seige Yaël Malgas
N
o arrests have made after a bloody weekend in Khayamandi saw eight people killed.
Stellenbosch police confirmed various shooting incidents that took place in the township from Friday 22 and Sunday 24 May, which had left residents in fear and panic. “We will try to turn it around, and we all pray and ask God to help us through this situation happening here,” a Khayamandi resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “We have never seen anything like this here in Stellenbosch.” Provincial police’s serious violent crime detectives launched a manhunt for suspects after shootings on Friday evening and another on Saturday morning. According to police the first incident in Mgabadeli Street claimed the life of a 46-year-old man, who had just returned home from work. The gunmen fled the scene. Later that evening, around 21:00, two men were fatally wounded by gunmen in Thubelisha Street. The deceased were aged 27 and 32. Just minutes later police officers on pa-
Heartbreakingly bloody weekend
trol discovered the bodies of a man (27) and woman (26) in a shack in Fire Street. The two were found at 21:10 both with gunshot wounds. However, the deadly violence didn’t stop there. Patrolling officers were flagged down and alerted to another incident in Luyolo Street. Here officers found the lifeless body of a 33-year old man between shacks. He had sustained gunshot wounds. In the early hours of Saturday morning, police were called out to Seventh Avenue, where the body of a 37-year-man was found with visible gunshot wounds. HELP POLICE Captain Nathalie Martin, spokesperson for Stellenbosch police, could not confirm if the incidents were related. “At this stage, the motive for the killings is still unknown and the cases of murder is under intensive investigation,” she said. “Residents are requested to assist with any information on the shootings that can assist the police in their investigation.” Some residents are speculating whether the murders are connected to incidents of
extortion, which has been on the rise in the local township. Last year, Eikestadnuus reported on the murder of two brothers gunned down in Makupula Street, after allegedly refusing to pay protection money (“Teens arrested after double murder in Khayamandi”, 11 July 2025). According to reports organised crime has been on the rise in the township with many victims who would rather pay criminals money than report the crimes to police out of fear. “People are even scared to leave their homes,” a community member told Eikestadnuus on Tuesday. The source said the neighbourhood no longer felt safe, “because one doesn’t really know where the next shooting will occur”. “We are even uncomfortable sending our children to the spaza shops, because some of the shootings have taken place close to the spazas.” HEARTBREAKIG Stellenbosch mayor Jeremy Fasser said the municipality is committed to helping the police in their work, but there was only
so much local government can do. “It is heartbreaking to see what is happening in our communities,” Fasser related. He added after a stakeholders’ meeting with Khayamandi residents following the shootings, a letter would be sent to the national police commissioner, General Sehlahle Fannie Masemola, not only to prioritise Khayamandi, but also Franschhoek, which has also seen a spree of murders in the last few weeks. “The municipality’s Tactical Response Unit (TRU) is bolstering the police’s efforts to help ensure the safety and security of all residents,” Fasser said. According to the latest police crime statistics for the fourth quarter of the 2025’26 financial year, murders in the Western Cape decreased by 8% from 1 068 cases between January and March 2025 to 983 cases during the same period this year. Attempted murder cases also declined by 10,3%, from 1 143 to 1 025 cases, while overall contact crime dropped by 6,5%. However, this is of little comfort for communities like Khayamandi, where violent crimes leave locals too afraid to leave their homes. In light of the recent fatal shootings, a prayer session will be held at the Khayamandi Corridor at 15:00 on Sunday (31 May).
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