Cape Town – Suspected matric celebrations ended in tragedy at Clifton’s popular 4th Beach when a 16-year-old boy was stabbed and killed at the weekend.
According to ward councillor Nicola Jowell, who shared the incident on social media, large numbers of matrics arrived at the beach on Saturday evening.
“In the early evening large numbers of matrics arrived to celebrate the end of exams.
“I immediately alerted law enforcement who reacted and deployed additional law enforcement, metro and traffic police from other parts of the city.
“I was unable to reach the SAPS station commander as up until that point there had been no SAPS present,”Jowell said.
At about 10.45pm that night, the teenager from Langa was stabbed in the chest on Victoria Road, Clifton, she said.
This is the same vicinity where first-year UCT law student Mhleli Cebo Mbatha ,19, was stabbed in the chest and killed by two robbers in September.
Mbatha’s friend escaped with a stab wound in the leg, while two others had managed to escape unharmed during the attack.
“He was assisted by medics at the Clifton Scout Hall where the City had a Joint Operations Centre (JOC) in place for the day and night.
‘‘The City JOC was in place to assist with a planned event on fourth beach which is an annual film event that is peaceful and considered low risk, but due to increased concerns the JOC was in place.
‘‘The boy sadly passed away due to his injury. My thanks to the film event medic who tried so hard to keep him alive.
“Once the situation is out of hand, it is incredibly difficult for these agencies to create order without hundreds of officers to assist. There needs to be better early-warning systems and proper seasonal deployment to SAPS Camps Bay station,” she said.
Jowell conveyed her condolences to the teenager’s family and friends.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said a case of murder was opened.
Circumstances leading to the incident were not yet known, she said, adding that police were following up leads to bring the perpetrators to book.