Community demands demolition of ‘murder house’ after nine-year-old child killed in Mitchells Plain shooting

Grief and outrage have erupted in Rocklands following the fatal shooting of a nine-year-old boy, Zechariah Matthee, in what community leaders say is the latest in a string of gang-related attacks at a notorious property in Viscount Street, the Daily Voice has reported.

Zechariah was one of three people killed in the incident on Wednesday. His 19-year-old aunt, Cleo Bailey, and 26-year-old Mougsheen Daniels also died, while two others survived with gunshot wounds. The shooting has intensified long-standing concerns over the house at 10 Viscount Street, which residents describe as a gang base that has brought ongoing violence to the area.

The property, referred to locally as a “pela pos” – a known criminal hotspot – is believed to be affiliated with the Fancy Boys gang. Previously, it was allegedly under the control of the Hard Livings gang, with rival gang the Americans operating in close proximity.

Community members, including representatives from the local Community Policing Forum (CPF), civic groups, and residents’ associations, are now demanding that the City of Cape Town demolish the house. They’ve called for it to be condemned under the City’s Problem Building Unit (PBU), which deals with derelict or dangerous properties.

In a related incident in August, two men aged 37 and 40 were gunned down at the same address in what authorities confirmed was gang-related violence.

City Law Enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason confirmed the house is not currently listed under the PBU’s oversight, which currently includes 922 properties, with 35% under active investigation.

Norman Jantjies, chairperson of the Mitchells Plain CPF, said the community has long viewed the house as a threat. “It’s a known problem house – a pela pos. This latest tragedy is gang-related, and we are calling for immediate action,” he said.

Jantjies also urged rival gangs to agree to a ceasefire as the school holidays approach, to prevent further bloodshed among children and families.

Tensions are running high in the area. A local resident, who asked not to be identified, expressed frustration: “How many more must die? That house should be burnt to the ground.”

Ward councillor Danny Christians confirmed that efforts are under way to formally declare the house a problem property. “It is certainly a problem building,” he said. “I’ve visited the premises several times. Once the City compiles the necessary report and gathers evidence, we can move forward with having it shut down.”

Linda Jones of the CPF and Mitchells Plain United Residents Association (MURA) added that the current occupants, including the elderly homeowner’s descendants, may be preparing to vacate the property. “The grandmother has said she wants to sell the house following the deaths. She no longer wants to live there,” said Jones.

The shooting has once again brought into sharp focus the dangers posed by gang activity in Mitchells Plain, and residents are pleading for decisive intervention from the City to prevent more loss of life.

IOL