GANG MEMBERS SENTENCED TO LIFE AFTER CHILD LOSES LIFE DURING A SHOOTING

17 JUNE 2025

GANG MEMBERS SENTENCED TO LIFE AFTER CHILD LOSES LIFE DURING A SHOOTING

Cape Town, South Africa, The High Court of South Africa: Western Cape Division has sentenced members of the Fast Guns gang, Carlo Hofmeester and Chadwin Isaacs, to an effective life imprisonment and declared them unfit to possess firearms. The court convicted them for being in contravention of Section 9(2)(a) read with sections 1, 10 and 11 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998, for the murder of five-year-old Valentino Grootetjie, attempted murders of Wesley Kok, Olivia Stevens, Natasha Daniels, Leticia Barnes, Crystal Joseph, Derrick Strydom, Gerswin Baars, Brandon Coetzee, Dillon Wentzel, two counts of illegal possession of firearms and two counts illegal possession of ammunition.

They were sentenced to five years direct imprisonment for contravention of Section 9(2)(a) read with sections 1, 10 and 11 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998, life imprisonment for Grootetjie’s murder, 10 years direct imprisonment for each of the nine counts of attempted murder (90 years direct imprisonment), five years direct imprisonment for illegal possession of firearms and three years direct imprisonment for illegal possession of ammunition. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently.

State Adv Leon Snyman proved that the accused were members of the Fast Guns gang who were engaged in drug turf wars with the Mongrels Gang in Lavender Hill and surrounding areas. On 21 December 2019, members of the Mongrels gang gathered at 37 Drury Court Lavender Hill, a ‘pela post’ where people congregate to smoke and socialise. It is in the territory of the Mongrel gang. Stevens and Barnes were at 36 Drury Court, Lavender Hill.

The deceased stayed with his parents at 37 Drury Court, Lavender Hill and was playing in the yard when a bullet struck his head. Kotze knows both accused, and on the day, he saw Hofmeester running towards him as he came from a shop. He suspected that he was up to no good, and when he reached the gate of 37 Drury Court, he warned the people inside. He attempted to close the gate, but the accused grabbed him. He pulled loose and ran away. He then saw Hofmeester open the gate, look around start firing shots in the yard. Isaacs also ran towards the yard, opened the gate, and fired shots. They both ran away afterwards.

Stevens and Barnes also identified Hofmeester as the shooter after they saw him shooting at the 37 Drury Court. They swore at him, and he fired a shot at them, and they retreated. Kok, a member of the Mongrels gang, was the target of the shooting incident and was one of the victims of attempted murder. Ballistic evidence collected on the scene showed that two firearms were used during the shooting. During the six-week trial, Adv Snyman called 8 witnesses, including the deceased parents, Patrick Kotze and Romana Grootetjie, Stevens, Barnes and four police officers – a previous investigator, the current investigator, a gang expert, and a ballistics expert. A trial within a trial was held where the accused unsuccessfully challenged the admissibility of their warning statements.

In her sentenced judgment, Judge Melanie Holderness agreed with the State that the accused did not show remorse, failed to take the court into their confidence, and downplayed the seriousness of the offences as they appeared bored during the trial. There were no substantial and compelling circumstances which allowed the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.

Western Cape director of Public Prosecutions, Adv Nicolette Bell, lamented the loss of an innocent life of a child due to the scourge of gangsterism that is holding many communities in the Cape Flats at ransom, with many children being caught in the crossfire of gang shootings. It can never be emphasized how important human life is and therefore we will be vigorous in our pursuit of these cases to serve as deterrent to murderers.

Issued by:

Eric Ntabazalila
National Prosecuting Authority
Regional Communications Manager – Western Cape
Tel: (021) 487 7308
Mobile: 073 062 1222