The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape has stated that the fatal shooting of a Ghanaian national in Nyanga is believed to be connected to extortion-related criminal activity, rather than xenophobic protests as earlier suggested.
In a statement shared on its Facebook page, SAPS identified the deceased as 35-year-old Kwabena Boagen, who was shot and killed on Monday, June 29, 2026, at Nyanga Terminus in Cape Town. Police said the attack happened around 3:45 p.m. in front of the NTG Hair Salon and Shoe Repairs, where unknown gunmen reportedly opened fire before fleeing the scene.
Emergency responders confirmed the victim was pronounced dead at the location. Authorities have since opened a murder investigation, with detectives in Nyanga leading efforts to trace and arrest the suspects. Investigators believe early findings point to extortion as the motive, although no arrests have been made so far.
SAPS also confirmed that officers have contacted a relative of the deceased and expressed condolences to the family. The police added that Mr. Boagen, who lived in Khayelitsha, worked in Nyanga where the incident occurred. A post-mortem examination is currently underway as part of standard legal procedures.
The police statement directly challenges claims by Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which linked the killing to anti-immigrant violence and xenophobic demonstrations. SAPS insists there is no official evidence supporting reports of such an incident in Khayelitsha, where the Ghanaian authorities said the attack occurred.
According to the South African police, they have no record of a murder matching that description in Khayelitsha and maintain that the case under investigation is strictly a criminal matter.
Source: citinewsroom.com
