In the aftermath of one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent Gauteng history, a senior City of Johannesburg official has leveled an explosive accusation against residents of the Jumpers informal settlement in Cleveland. MMC for Public Safety, Dr. Mgcini Tshwaku, alleged that some community members have been knowingly renting out their shacks to undocumented foreign nationals engaged in criminal activities—including the suspects linked to the shooting that left 12 people dead and 10 others wounded earlier this week.
The mass shooting, which unfolded in the early hours of Tuesday morning, has plunged the small settlement into mourning and fear. Witnesses described a group of armed men arriving in two vehicles, methodically targeting specific shacks before unleashing a hail of bullets and fleeing into the darkness. Police have since launched a manhunt for at least eight suspects, many of whom are believed to be foreign nationals involved in illegal mining and extortion rackets operating across the East Rand.
Speaking at a community engagement meeting in Cleveland on Thursday, Tshwaku did not hold back. “Let us be honest with ourselves,” he told a tense gathering of residents, community leaders, and police officials. “Some of you know exactly who is renting your shacks. You know they are here illegally. You know they are involved in crime. But you take the cash every month because times are hard. That must stop. You cannot claim to be victims when you are also enablers.”
The remarks drew a sharp and divided response. Some community members applauded, nodding in agreement about known criminal hideouts operating under the radar. Others reacted with anger, accusing the MMC of deflecting blame from police failures and broader housing crises that force residents into desperate economic arrangements.
“We are not criminals because we rent out a room to survive,” one woman shouted back. “The criminals are the ones with the guns who killed our neighbors. Go catch them instead of blaming us.”
The City has since announced increased police patrols and a door-to-door verification campaign in the settlement. Meanwhile, the death toll remains at 12, with three of the wounded still in critical condition. The search for the shooters continues.
About The Author
