‘EK’T DOODGESPEEL’ – Lavender Hill mass shooting survivor tells how he hid in bin to survive

NewsSportLifestyleEntertainmentOpinionNews‘EK’T DOODGESPEEL’ – Lavender Hill mass shooting survivor tells how he hid in bin to surviveVoice Reporter|Published 24 minutes agoCopy to ClipboardAsk AIPLAYING DEAD: A survivor wounded in the leg hid in a rubbish bin

A LAVENDER Hill shooting survivor hid in a dirt bin and played dead as gunmen stepped over him during a mass shooting that left five people dead and three others wounded.

The horror unfolded at a gathering at a home on Blode Street at about 8pm on Saturday, 24 October 2026, when gunmen allegedly forced their way inside and opened fire.

Four men and a woman, aged between 21 and 33, were killed in the shooting. Another man and two women were wounded and taken to a medical facility for treatment.

The survivor, who was shot in the leg, said he could feel the shooters stepping over him soos hy doodstill gele het.

That saved his life, as he told of another man who was wounded in the shooting and didn’t make it. The survivor said the man who was lying on the ground next to him started moving and the killers finished him off.

Residents living close to the scene said they heard a string of gunshots and believed the attack could be gang-related.

One resident said: “The shooting was after 7pm. I was busy making supper for my children and then I was like, are those gunshots? I ran out and then I heard the commotion.

“I do know the people in the flat where they shot. I do know the woman and the guy in the wheelchair who was shot. The shooting is definitely gang-related.”

Another resident said the gunfire forced people to remain inside their homes.

The local wysed: “I don’t know what time the shooting took place but it was a lot. Probably more than 20. We had to stay in the house when we heard the gunshots.”

Police suspect the attack may be gang-related, but the motive has not yet been established.

At the time of the police statement, no arrests had been made, and Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) detectives were searching for those responsible.

Brigadier Novela Potelwa said: “AGU detectives are hard at work in search of the perpetrators of the act.”

The mass shooting comes just days after two men, aged 23 and 37, were gunned down on Military Road in Steenberg at around 12.30 pm on Tuesday, 20 October.

Following that attack, police launched an operation that netted five suspects aged 27 to 40, seizing two assault rifles after the group fled in a red Volkswagen Polo, abandoned it in Kirstenhof, and hijacked a Toyota RunX before being apprehended.

This incident follows an earlier shooting on 6 October in Muir Court, Depsiton Crescent, Lavender Hill, where two men were killed and a third was wounded in what police suspect was a gang-related attack.

Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais condemned the latest violence.

“No community should have to endure such senseless bloodshed or live in constant fear for their safety. We cannot allow criminals to terrorise our communities. The time for decisive, sustained action against gangs is now!” she said.

Marais called on police to intensify intelligence-driven operations against gangs and disrupt their access to illegal firearms and ammunition.