Nine month old among victims in Athlone mass shooting as Cape Flats violence escalates

Western Cape MEC of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, has strongly condemned the heinous shooting in Athlone that claimed the lives of three people, including a baby, on Tuesday evening.

“It is especially disturbing when the most vulnerable members of society fall victim to such brutality. When women and children are gunned down in our communities, it is not only an attack on individuals, but an assault on the very fabric of our society,” Marais said.

Marais has urged the South African Police Service (SAPS) to utilise all available resources to track down those responsible and to ensure that thorough investigations lead to successful prosecutions.

“Those who commit such callous crimes must face the full might of the law. Justice for the victims and their families must remain our priority," Marais said.

Police confirmed that at approximately 22:00 on 17 February 2026, officers responded to reports of gunfire at the Bridgetown complex.

It is understood that on arrival, cops found the bodies of two women, aged 25 and 36, laying side by side on a bed, while a nine-month-old baby girl was rushed to hospital but sadly passed on.

All three had sustained fatal gunshot wounds.

Two adult men were also shot and injured during the incident and were transported to a medical facility for treatment.

Preliminary investigations indicate that three unknown suspects fled the scene and have not yet been arrested. The motive for the attack remains under investigation.

Police said  detectives attached to the Serious and Violent Crimes Unit are leading the probe, with all available resources mobilised to trace and apprehend those responsible.

Spokesperson Andre Traut condemned the killings, said, “The South African Police Service strongly condemns the senseless and brutal killing of three people, including an infant, in a shooting incident last night.

We assure the residents of Athlone and the broader community that every effort will be made to bring the perpetrators to book and to restore safety and stability in the area.”

Citizens can report information anonymously through the following channels:

• SAPS Crime Stop: 08600 10111
• MySAPS Mobile Application
• City of Cape Town Tip-Off Line: 0800 110077

Police have appealed to anyone with information to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or to submit tips anonymously via the MySAPS mobile application.

The tragedy unfolds less than a week after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assist in combating escalating gang violence in the Western Cape.

The intervention was presented as a show of force aimed at stabilising gang-affected communities across the Cape Flats yet Tuesday night’s bloodshed highlights the depth of the crisis facing residents.

The killing of the baby girl in Athlone echoes another devastating mass shooting just two months ago.

In December, nine-year-old Zechariah Matthee was brutally murdered during a mass shooting in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain.

Zechariah had been hiding in a cupboard when gunmen opened fire, yet he was still shot in the head. He was one of three people killed in that attack, which also claimed the lives of two young adults aged 25 and 30. The shooting sent shockwaves through the community and renewed calls for urgent, sustained intervention in gang-affected areas.

Rocklands, a section of Mitchells Plain, has long been affected by gang activity and retaliatory violence, with residents frequently caught in the crossfire.

With two mass shootings in as many months claiming the lives of children, residents across the Cape Flats say they are living in constant fear. Community leaders have repeatedly called for greater visibility of law enforcement, intelligence-driven operations targeting gang leadership, and long-term social interventions to break the cycle of violence.

As investigations continue into the Athlone attack, grieving families are left to bury loved ones including a baby whose life was cut short before it had truly begun.

Authorities maintain that every effort is being made to track down the suspects and restore calm to a community once again shaken by gunfire.

Fight Against Crime SA (Facsa) spokesperson Jay Jay Idel said: "There is no justification for such cowardly violence, especially when innocent lives are taken in their own community. This attack is a brutal reminder of how brazen and heartless those behind gang violence have become.

"We call for the perpetrators to be hunted down and brought to justice without delay. Our thoughts are with the families affected by this senseless act."

Athlone Community Policing Forum Chairperson, Vernon Piedt said the shooting has sent shockwaves through the whole of Athlone.

"It is absolutely tragic that an innocent baby, who had her whole life ahead of her had to die like this. We need answers and arrests made."

Piedt said they are closely monitoring the incident. 

*This is a developing story*

tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za

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