Rising crime transforms Cape Town's roads into dangerous battlegrounds

Cape Town’s roads resembled a battleground on Wednesday as police shootouts, high-speed chases and violent crimes once again tore through the city which left one suspect dead and four arrested.

A high-speed chase brought traffic to a standstill on Jakes Gerwel Drive when police pursued a runaway vehicle near Westgate Mall on Wednesday morning. The drama left several cars damaged.

Videos and images of the crime scene shared on social media showed, a BMW's windscreen shattered by bullets. Fortunately no bystanders were wounded during the chase.

Members of the National Intervention Unit, acting on intelligence that armed suspects were travelling in a Toyota Hilux, followed the vehicle from Nyanga until it reached Jakes Gerwel Drive in Mitchells Plain. When police moved in, the suspects allegedly opened fire — triggering a shootout in peak-hour traffic.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said: “The vehicle was followed from Nyanga and when the suspects spotted the police vehicle on Jakes Gerwel Drive, Mitchells Plain, they opened fire at the police vehicle. Police members returned fire, fatally wounding one adult male and arresting four others. An AK47 rifle and two 9mm pistols with ammunition were recovered on the scene. Two private vehicles were damaged when the suspects’ vehicle collided with the vehicles.”

He added that IPID is investigating the death of the suspect: "The circumstances surrounding the death of the one suspect are under investigation by IPID, while the remaining suspects aged between 27 and 45 are detained awaiting their first court appearance in Mitchells Plain on charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, attempted murder, and attack on police."

A eyewitness account: "Here is a high-speed chase on Morgenster and Jakes Gerwel, multiple shots fired, muliple accidents, crashes, police are chasing these guys."

A bystander, who had been waiting for her work transportation, shared that she had thought she would be caught in the crossfire but escaped with injury.

The mayhem came on the heels of a barrage of shootings and murders the previous day, when Cape Town experienced a wave of violent incidents across several suburbs within a five-hour period. According to the Fight Against Crime SA (FACSA), at least six major violent crimes were recorded, including multiple shootings, a murder and two confirmed fatalities.

Among these was a shooting near Nando’s on Adderley Street, a fatal shooting on the N2 inbound at the Mew Way off-ramp, an injury in Manenberg, a murder in Langa, multiple rounds fired in Kensington, and a killing in Clarke Estate. Emergency services were stretched across the city as scenes unfolded almost simultaneously.

For many motorists, Wednesday's shootout felt like the continuation of a nightmare that had started early the previous morning. More than ten smash-and-grabs had rocked Jakes Gerwel Drive during peak-hour traffic, with suspects reportedly darting between stationary vehicles and targeting trapped commuters.

Bonteheuwel councillor Angus McKenzie, described Tuesday’s scene as “chaotic”.

“There were at least ten or 11 smash ‘n grabs, at free will, with suspects just running between vehicles, due to the back-up of traffic,” he said. “I can confirm that one of the motorists opened fire on them but sure not whether anyone was shot.”

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Cape Argus