Table View: Police have released surveillance images of men they believe could help solve the broad daylight murder of 33-year-old Vhahangwele Makolana inside News Cafe at Marine Circle, nearly four weeks after armed men walked into the busy restaurant, opened fire and escaped with two laptops and his cellphone. The public appeal marks the clearest development yet in a case that shocked Capetonians because of the calculated nature of the attack and the setting in which it unfolded.
Police Turn To Public For Help
Detectives from the Western Cape Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit are asking the public to help identify the men shown in images released as part of the murder investigation.
Police spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk said investigators believe the people depicted could assist detectives in establishing what happened before, during and after Makolana was killed.
The release of the images does not mean that every person shown has been convicted, charged or formally identified as one of the shooters. Their identities and possible roles remain part of the investigation, and members of the public have been asked to provide information directly to police rather than confronting anyone they recognise.
The appeal follows the original Cape Town News report on the Table View café shooting, published on 27th May, when the victim had not yet been officially named and police had released limited details about the attackers.
At that stage, Table View police had confirmed only that a 33-year-old man was found with several gunshot wounds inside a café near Marine Circle. Medical personnel declared him dead at the scene, while the motive remained unknown and no arrests had been announced.
Victim Identified As Vhahangwele Makolana
Police have now identified the murdered man as Vhahangwele Makolana, who was believed to have come from Venda in Limpopo.
According to the latest police account, Makolana was sitting inside the restaurant at about 2pm on 25th May when three unidentified men entered the premises, walked towards him and opened fire.
Van Wyk said the attackers took two laptops and Makolana’s cellphone before fleeing. Emergency medical personnel later declared him dead at the scene.
The new account provides more detail than was available immediately after the killing. Early witness reports and widely circulated video footage appeared to show two gunmen entering the restaurant. Police now say three unidentified men entered the venue.
Cape Town News is giving priority to the later police statement while noting that detectives have not yet publicly explained whether all three men allegedly participated directly in the shooting, whether one acted as an accomplice, or whether another person waited elsewhere.
No arrests have been announced.
A Public Killing Inside A Busy Restaurant
The shooting drew widespread attention because it happened during the afternoon inside a popular restaurant in one of Table View’s busiest coastal commercial areas.
Marine Circle links restaurants, shops, offices and routes used daily by workers, visitors and Capetonians travelling towards the beachfront. A shooting inside a public hospitality venue therefore raised immediate concern about the safety of patrons and staff.
Staff members and other customers were not physically injured during the incident.
The Marine Circle precinct said after the shooting that early indications suggested the attack had been directed at a particular person and did not appear to be a random assault against the wider public.
That assessment remains significant, but it does not establish who ordered or carried out the killing. Only the police investigation can determine whether Makolana was deliberately tracked, whether the attack was planned in advance and why his electronic devices were removed.
Motive Remains Unknown
Police have not established a confirmed motive for Makolana’s murder.
The removal of his laptops and cellphone could suggest robbery, but investigators have not publicly said that theft was the primary reason for the attack. The devices may also have been taken after the shooting, or because they contained information the attackers wanted to recover or destroy.
Those possibilities remain speculation unless supported by evidence.
The manner of the killing has strengthened the impression that Makolana was specifically targeted. The attackers reportedly entered the restaurant, approached him directly, opened fire and left without injuring other people inside the venue.
Police must now determine whether the murder arose from a personal dispute, business dealings, organised criminal activity, robbery or another motive that has not yet been disclosed.
Detectives may also examine Makolana’s communications, movements and contacts before the shooting, together with footage from the restaurant and surrounding businesses.
False Claims Spread After The Shooting
The investigation was complicated in its early stages by incorrect claims circulated on social media about the victim’s identity.
Posts falsely claimed that the murdered man was Joel Booysen, the son of alleged Sexy Boys gang figure Jerome “Donkie” Booysen.
Booysen denied the claims publicly and confirmed that he was alive. Police reporting subsequently identified the victim as Makolana.
The false information showed how quickly speculation can distort an active investigation. It also risked creating an unsupported gang-related narrative before police had established the victim’s identity or the motive for his murder.
Cape Town News did not identify Makolana in its original report because his name had not been included in the verified police information available at the time.
Police Photographs Form Part Of Active Investigation
The images now released by police appear to come from surveillance or security footage.
They show men at different angles and in different clothing, including one person seen walking through a restaurant interior wearing dark blue clothing and a brown hat.
Police believe the images could help members of the public recognise the people and provide names, addresses, workplaces, contact details or information about their movements.
The pictures must be treated as part of an active police appeal. Publication does not amount to a finding of guilt.
Anyone who recognises a person shown should not approach, threaten or attempt to detain them. Information should be passed directly to the investigating team.
Members of the public should also avoid publishing names or accusations on social media. Incorrect identification could harm innocent people, interfere with the investigation and alert those police are trying to locate.
Investigators Need Information About Identities And Whereabouts
Police are seeking information about both the identities and the current whereabouts of the men shown in the appeal.
Detective Warrant Officer Bradley Davids is handling public information connected to the latest appeal and can be contacted on 082 778 7345.
Information may also be reported anonymously through SAPS Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
People who have original video recordings, photographs, dashcam footage or eyewitness information from Marine Circle on the afternoon of the shooting should provide the material directly to police.
The Table View Community Policing Forum previously warned people not to circulate graphic footage from the killing online. The organisation said sharing the material could compromise the investigation, expose witnesses and deepen the trauma experienced by Makolana’s relatives and those who were inside the restaurant.
That warning remains relevant. Evidence has greater value when investigators receive the original recording, with its time, date, location and unedited sequence preserved.
Questions Remain Nearly Four Weeks Later
The police appeal confirms that investigators are still working to identify the men connected to the incident.
Several critical questions remain unanswered.
Police have not said how the attackers arrived at Marine Circle, whether a getaway vehicle was used, whether they followed Makolana to the restaurant or how long they had monitored his movements.
Detectives have also not disclosed whether either laptop or the cellphone has been recovered, whether the devices were active after the shooting or whether data obtained from them has helped the investigation.
It is also unclear whether Makolana had received threats before his death or whether he had arranged to meet anyone at the restaurant that afternoon.
Answers to those questions could determine whether the shooting was a planned execution, a robbery that escalated into murder or an attack linked to another unresolved dispute.
Public Assistance Could Break The Case
Surveillance images often become important when detectives have exhausted immediate identification routes or believe somebody in the wider public will recognise clothing, physical features or regular movements.
A single accurate tip could help police establish a name, locate an address or identify a vehicle connected to the killing.
The public appeal also suggests that investigators believe the released images are clear enough to generate useful leads, despite the varying quality of some surveillance frames.
People who recognise someone should provide police with as much detail as possible, including where they know the person from, when they last saw them and whether they know where the person may currently be staying.
Police have not announced a reward.
Cape Town News will continue following the case and will update the original report when police confirm arrests, identify the people shown in the appeal or establish a motive for Makolana’s murder.
Q&A
Who was killed at News Cafe in Table View?
Police identified the victim as 33-year-old Vhahangwele Makolana, who was believed to be from Venda in Limpopo.
When did the shooting happen?
The shooting happened at about 2pm on 25th May inside News Cafe at Marine Circle in Table View.
How many men entered the restaurant?
The latest police account says three unidentified men entered the restaurant. Early video reports appeared to show two gunmen.
What was taken from the victim?
Police said the attackers took two laptops and Makolana’s cellphone before fleeing.
Why did police release the images?
Detectives believe the people shown could help them with the murder investigation and are asking the public to identify them.
Are the men in the photographs guilty?
No court has made such a finding. The images form part of a police identification appeal in an active investigation.
Has anyone been arrested?
Police had not announced any arrests when the latest appeal was issued.
What was the motive?
The motive remains unknown.
How can the public assist?
Anyone with information can contact Detective Warrant Officer Bradley Davids on 082 778 7345 or SAPS Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
SAI Search Summary
Western Cape police have released surveillance images of men they believe could help solve the murder of Vhahangwele Makolana inside News Cafe at Marine Circle in Table View. Police say three unidentified men entered the restaurant at about 2pm on 25th May, approached the 33-year-old and opened fire before taking two laptops and his cellphone. Makolana died at the scene. Detectives from the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit are seeking information about the identities and whereabouts of the people shown. No arrests have been announced, and the motive remains unknown.
Source: IOL – Robin-Lee Francke and Marsha Dean; South African Police Service – Captain Frederick van Wyk; Cape Town News – Staff Reporter.
Image Credit: South African Police Service
