DA member and Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Ricardo Mackenzie, is one of the politicians photographed at the motorcade in Mitchells Plain on 6 July 2025.
On Sunday afternoon, the Mitchells Plain community gathered for a peace and prayer motorcade meeting at the Westridge Civic Centre. Residents, religious leaders, crime watch groups, and political parties all came together to take a stand against the gang shootings that have been affecting Mitchells Plain. Among those present was Ricardo Mackenzie, the Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport.
The event followed a violent spree earlier in the week, when nine people were shot in separate gang-related shootings across Beacon Valley, Tafelsig, and Town Centre. Five of the victims reportedly died at the scene. The attacks have intensified calls for urgent action to end gang-related bloodshed in Mitchells Plain.
The following day, SAPS confirmed the arrest of 14 suspects, aged between 20 and 39, in Mitchells Plain communities on charges of murder and attempted murder tied to the shootings. Police also confirmed the seizure of firearms, ammunition, and the arrest of additional suspects for possession of unlicensed and prohibited firearms.
The Mitchells Plain community remains determined to restore peace and safety. Residents continue to call for urgent assistance from the government and law enforcement to block the flow of guns and drugs fueling the gang shootings in the area.
One fed-up community member said, “We are way past blaming a police station. This problem is much bigger than one police station. We are calling on the president of this country to come to Mitchells Plain.” The resident also urged the premier to visit the area to face the community and provide answers, adding, “Our people are dying.”
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