News24 | Suspect killed, 4 arrested after high-speed chase and shootout in Cape Town

A high-speed chase and shootout in Mitchells Plain on Wednesday morning left one suspect dead and four others arrested.

• One suspect was shot dead and four others were arrested after a high-speed chase and shootout with the police’s National Intervention Unit in Mitchells Plain on Wednesday morning.
• Police recovered an AK-47 and two 9mm pistols.
• The suspects allegedly opened fire on police along Jakes Gerwel Drive after being followed from Nyanga.

A high-speed chase and shootout in Mitchells Plain in Cape Town on Wednesday morning left one suspect dead and four others arrested after police intercepted an armed group travelling in a Toyota Hilux.

Residents near Westgate Mall reported gunfire and speeding vehicles shortly after 06:00, posting alerts on local crime groups about shots fired along Jakes Gerwel Drive. It later emerged that members of the SA Police Service’s (SAPS) specialised National Intervention Unit had been tracking armed suspects from Nyanga.

SAPS spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg, said the suspects opened fire when they noticed police following them on Jakes Gerwel Drive.

“Police members returned fire, fatally wounding one adult male and arresting four others. An AK-47 rifle and two 9mm pistols with ammunition were recovered on the scene,” Twigg said.

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Two private vehicles were damaged when the suspects’ vehicle collided with them. Twigg said the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) was probing the fatal shooting, while the remaining suspects, aged 27 to 45, faced charges including possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition and attempted murder. They are expected to appear in the Mitchells Plain Magistrate’s Court.

Videos shared on social media show officers arresting suspects near a residential area, with the deceased lying on the pavement with blood pooling from a head wound. Another clip shows police crossing a busy road on foot while chasing a suspect before cornering him.

A resident who witnessed the chase said that at least one suspect attempted to flee on foot.

The local community policing forum said it was seeking clarity from police, noting that the suspects did not appear to be from the area.

The organisation Fight Against Crime SA (FACSA) has welcomed the operation.

“[The] SAPS continues to stabilise the broader area. FACSA commends the swift tactical response that prevented further loss of life and removed high-risk weaponry from circulation,” the group said.

IPID has not responded to questions; its comment will be added once received.