The ongoing gang violence in Cape Town claimed another victim on Tuesday afternoon, with the shooting death of Craig “Zebo” Stanfield, 42, in Valhalla Park. Stanfield, a cousin of alleged 28s gang boss Ralph Stanfield, was gunned down just hours after his release from custody. This marks the third relative of the Stanfield family to be murdered in the last two years, further escalating tensions within Cape Town's underworld.
According to a Daily Voice source, Stanfield was targeted by members of a rival gang, the Rude Boys.
The source detailed the events leading up to the shooting: “Craig came out of the mang that morning [on Tuesday]. He was facing attempted murder charges, but the complainant withdrew the charges against him and he was released. He was walking with a friend when two members of the Rude Boys started shooting at them and his friend ran away. One of the shooters came close to him and shot him several times and he died on the scene. He is also one of the dik dinge of the Firm Gang and is the cousin of Ralph.”
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed the incident, stating that Bishop Lavis police are investigating a murder and an attempted murder case. Van Wyk provided the official police account: “On arrival, SAPS found a body with multiple gunshot wounds lying in the street. Investigation on the scene indicates that the deceased and a friend were walking in Simon Street, Valhalla Park when two suspects ran towards them and randomly shot at them, fatally wounding the deceased.
"The friend escaped unharmed. Detectives attached to our Provincial Detectives Serious and Violent Crime Investigation unit are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting incident. They have, meanwhile, taken in three suspects for questioning, of which two were found in possession of firearms and ammunition.”
The swift police response led to the apprehension of three suspects. Van Wyk further elaborated: “Two of the suspects have been charged with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, and they are due to appear at Bishop Lavis Magistrates Court this morning. The possibility that they might be linked to the killing of the 42-year-old forms part of the ongoing investigation.”
The murder of Craig Stanfield is not an isolated incident. He is the third member of the Stanfield family to be killed in the past two years, highlighting the escalating violence within Cape Town's underworld. Underworld sources suggest that these killings are part of a deliberate strategy to destabilise the Firm Gang, a powerful faction within the 28s gang.
The previous victims include Simon Stanfield, known as “Simontjie” or “Klein Simon,” a high-ranking member of the Firm Gang, who was murdered on 13 March 2023 in a hail of bullets in his VW Polo in Delft. Another relative, Mogamat Noor Stanfield, Ralph's cousin, was also shot and killed in broad daylight on 4 November 2023.
These killings, along with the murder of another alleged 28s dik ding, Ernest McLaughan, who was gunned down in his Polo in Belhar on 2 March 2023, point to a pattern of targeted violence aimed at weakening the Firm Gang's leadership and influence.
The ongoing investigation into Craig Stanfield's murder is crucial in understanding the broader context of gang violence in Cape Town. The apprehension of three suspects, and the charges laid against two of them for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, represent a significant step in the investigation. However, the larger question remains: will these arrests be enough to stem the tide of violence and bring stability to the affected communities?
