A 19-year-old has been arrested in connection with the deadly mass shooting at a shebeen in Philippi East that left nine people dead earlier this month. The arrest marks a major breakthrough in one of the Western Cape’s most shocking acts of violence this year.

The attack occurred in the early hours of Saturday, 17 January 2026, at a shebeen in the Marikana informal settlement, where gunmen opened fire on patrons inside the shack. Eight men and one woman were killed, and another person was seriously injured.

Western Cape SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa confirmed the arrest, which followed intensive investigations by specialised police units. The suspect, arrested on Friday in Zweletemba, Worcester, now faces nine counts of murder and one count of attempted murder when he appears in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

“As part of ongoing investigations into the Philippi East multiple murders, provincial serious violent crime detectives have made a breakthrough and charged a suspect,” said Potelwa.

Police reports indicate that three suspects entered the shebeen shortly after midnight and opened fire inside the structure. Six people died at the scene, one victim succumbed while being transported to hospital, and days later a ninth person critically wounded in the attack also died. One of the deceased was a woman who is believed to have been the owner of the shebeen.

The shooting occurred in an informal settlement, areas which Potelwa said poses unique challenges to crime prevention and response. Challenges that the police experience are often due to dense populations, poor lighting, and limited access roads which can lead to complicate investigations and have been linked to high levels of violent crime.

Potelwa highlighted the growing concern of youth involvement in violent crime. While the arrested teen has not officially been linked to gang activity or extortion, SAPS has observed perpetrators becoming younger and more daring in communities affected by high unemployment and a lack of diversion programmes for at-risk youth.

This arrest, which police say results from a coordinated intelligence-driven operation, comes amid ongoing public criticism that SAPS has been under-resourced and at times slow to respond to gang violence in the province. Police say the case demonstrates the impact of focused investigative work and specialised units, reflecting broader efforts to use intelligence more effectively in tackling serious violent crime.

More arrests are expected as the investigation continues.

lilita.gcwabe@inl.co.za

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