In a horrifying night in Rocklands, masked gunmen stormed a home, killing nine-year-old Zechariah, 26-year-old Mougsheen, and 19-year-old Cleo in just 90 seconds. Two others were hurt. Police think it was a planned attack, not a robbery, because nothing was stolen. The community is terrified, and schools are mourning the young lives lost, as police try to find the killers.
What happened in the Rocklands Night of Horror?
On January 28, 2025, four masked gunmen stormed a home in Rocklands, tragically killing nine-year-old Zechariah Matthee, 26-year-old Mougsheen Daniels, and 19-year-old Cleo Bailey in a 90-second rampage. Two other relatives were injured. Police believe it was a targeted hit, not a robbery, as valuables were left untouched.
The thud of a soccer ball against a boundary wall and the aroma of sizzling boerewors usually drift across Viscount Street until well after sunset. On Tuesday, 28 January 2025, the soundtrack changed at 21:00 sharp: the metallic clack of an AK-47’s bolt and the lighter snap of a 9 mm pistol replaced children’s laughter. Four hooded men hopped from a white Toyota Avanza, engine left idling with headlights doused, and stormed a modest three-room home. Neighbours first thought fire-crackers were popping – until screams pierced the air and a nine-year-old boy stumbled backwards, crimson blooming across his cartoon T-shirt.
Inside the lounge, Zechariah Matthee had been glued to a Nigerian comedy on SABC 1, knees tucked under his skinny frame. The first bullet struck his cheek, the second clipped the top of his skull; he collapsed against the couch, remote still clutched in one hand. In the backyard wendy house, 26-year-old Mougsheen Daniels – who earned cash washing taxis – was rolling a cigarette when the door flew inward. A single shot rang out; the chair tipped, his cigarette still burning on the floorboards beside him. Nineteen-year-old Cleo Bailey, the homeowner’s daughter, had been texting her boyfriend; she dove for the bed, but the gunman leaned over, fired once, and left her face-down in a pool that soaked her satin pillowcase. Two relatives who rushed to help – a 51-year-old aunt and a 36-year-old uncle – were hit before the quartet fled: the aunt’s left arm shattered, the uncle’s intestines grazed. From first kick on the door to final sprint back to the Avanza, the raid lasted under two minutes; 21 cartridges glittered under police spotlights later that night.
No Robbery, No Mercy: Police Hunt Killers Who Left Phones, Wallets Untouched
Colonel Andrè Traut of SAPS Western Cape released a terse statement the next morning, confirming that the Anti-Gang Unit had taken the docket within hours. “Four armed suspects entered and discharged multiple rounds at occupants before escaping in a waiting vehicle,” he said. Detectives found no sign of forced theft – phones still vibrated on the kitchen counter, a rent envelope stuffed with R50 notes lay untouched beside the stove. The discovery steered the inquiry away from burglary and toward a targeted hit, yet none of the three deceased had a gang tattoo or pending court case. Investigators now lean toward two theories: either the gunmen mistook Mougsheen Daniels for someone deeper in the drug web, or Cleo Bailey – whose boyfriend served a suspended sentence for methamphetamine possession – was the actual mark and the others were collateral damage. The white Avanza, believed to be a 2019 model with false plates, has not reappeared on city traffic cameras; officers have appealed for dash-cam footage from Portlands to Beacon Valley.
Ballistic mapping shows the AK sprayed eight rounds mostly skyward – panic fire – while the 9 mm grouped tight, execution style. Forensic teams lifted partial fingerprints from the wendy-house doorframe and a muddy boot-print matching Adidas Prophere soles. Witness protection officers have been offered to the two survivors, but residents say fear trumps faith: “Whistle-blowers end up in paupers’ coffins,” one neighbour muttered while sweeping glass shards from his veranda. Traut insists several “promising leads” are being pursued, yet admitted that no arrests have materialised four days after the massacre.
Blue Balloons and Broken Dreams: Schoolmates Mourn Grade 3 Boy Who Loved Break-Time
Rocklands Primary School rang its bell at 10:00 on Thursday for an unscheduled assembly. Principal Marlene Damon stood before 700 pupils while a teacher released 30 helium balloons – blue for the school colour, white for innocence – into an overcast sky. “Zechariah lived for recess,” she told the silent courtyard. “He traded two cheese sandwiches for one polony because he hated cheese; today we honour that cheeky grin.” His Grade 3 desk has been left intact: half-finished colouring sheet of Lionel Messi, a melted crayon, and a ruler he used as pretend sword. Classmates planted a peach-pip tree in the sand patch, vowing to paint the trunk in Barça colours.
Mougsheen’s family, living four blocks away on St Pauls Avenue, created a sidewalk shrine of glass candles and cardboard photos showing him hoisting a carp he once caught at Zandvlei. His mother, Roslyn, clutched the blood-soaked packet of Rolling Tobacco police returned to her. “He never started a fight, not once,” she whispered, voice cracking on each syllable. Cleo’s friends opted for a late-night vigil instead; they hired a local DJ to spin gqom tracks outside the community hall, dancing until Metro Police shut them down at 2 am. “Cleo loved beats; we won’t let sorrow steal her vibe,” her best friend Shanice declared, eyes puffy yet defiant.
Counsellors from the provincial Education Department have set up pop-up trauma desks at three schools, recording 114 children exhibiting sleep-trauma or bed-wetting since the shooting. Local pastor Jerome van Rooyen has opened his church hall for nightly prayer circles, but attendance spikes only when police vans park outside – proof that anxiety, not atheism, keeps residents indoors. A mother of four summed up the mood: “We check the clock at 8:45 pm now; by nine we’re under blankets, doors chained, hearts racing.”
Living on Borrowed Time: Funerals Planned as Anti-Gang Unit Patrols Intensify
Posters printed on neon A4 sheets appeared on lamp poles Friday morning: “Jerusalema send-off for Zechariah – Saturday 09:00, Rocklands Methodist Church.” His grandmother, Muriel Matthee, 67, has sewn a miniature white suit from fabric left over from her wedding dress three decades ago. “He loved that song; we’ll play it loud enough for heaven to hear,” she said, clutching a CD like fragile porcelain. Daniels’ burial follows on Sunday at Klipfontein Cemetery, restricted to 30 relatives to curb potential retaliation. Bailey’s memorial on Monday will double as a community concert; donation buckets will fund a bursary for her three-year-old daughter, the child she left behind.
SAPS has deployed an additional 18 Anti-Gang Unit officers to patrol Rocklands, Beacon Valley and Portlands in armoured Nyalas until 2 am, yet residents remain sceptical. “More boots after bodies drop – same script, different week,” mechanic Garth Rhode complained while fitting burglar bars stronger than the ones the gunmen bypassed. Provincial MEC for Community Safety, Reagen Allen, promised a mobile CCTV tower within seven days, but locals recall a similar pledge after a triple homicide in 2022 that never materialised. For now, children kick soccer balls against dining-room walls instead of streets, and grandparents bolt doors before the nightly news starts. Until a breakthrough surfaces, three families will lower loved ones into Mitchells Plain’s dusty earth, while an entire neighbourhood watches every shadow, wondering whose name the next bullet carries.
What happened in the Rocklands Night of Horror?
On January 28, 2025, four masked gunmen stormed a home in Rocklands, tragically killing nine-year-old Zechariah Matthee, 26-year-old Mougsheen Daniels, and 19-year-old Cleo Bailey in a 90-second rampage. Two other relatives were injured. Police believe it was a targeted hit, not a robbery, as valuables were left untouched.
Who were the victims of the Rocklands Night of Horror?
The victims were nine-year-old Zechariah Matthee, who was watching TV in the lounge; 26-year-old Mougsheen Daniels, who was in the backyard wendy house; and 19-year-old Cleo Bailey, the homeowner’s daughter. Two other relatives, a 51-year-old aunt and a 36-year-old uncle, were also injured but survived.
Why do police believe this was a targeted attack and not a robbery?
Police believe it was a targeted attack because nothing was stolen from the home. Phones, wallets, and a rent envelope with R50 notes were left untouched. This suggests the motive was not theft, leading investigators to pursue theories of a planned hit.
What are the police theories regarding the motive for the attack?
Investigators are currently leaning towards two main theories: either the gunmen mistook Mougsheen Daniels for someone involved in the drug trade, or Cleo Bailey, whose boyfriend had a suspended sentence for methamphetamine possession, was the actual target, and the others were collateral damage.
What impact has the tragedy had on the community and schools?
The community is deeply traumatized. Schools, particularly Rocklands Primary where Zechariah was a Grade 3 pupil, are mourning the young lives lost. Counsellors from the provincial Education Department have set up trauma desks, and local churches are holding prayer circles. Residents now live in fear, checking clocks and bolting doors early in the evening.
What actions are authorities taking in response to the shooting?
Colonel Andrè Traut confirmed that the Anti-Gang Unit is investigating the case. An additional 18 Anti-Gang Unit officers have been deployed to patrol Rocklands, Beacon Valley, and Portlands. Forensic teams have collected evidence, including partial fingerprints and a muddy boot-print. The provincial MEC for Community Safety has also promised a mobile CCTV tower.
