A distress call made to the police emergency 10111 call centre is being scrutinised after an alleged failure to act may have denied police an opportunity to intervene before four people were murdered in Dunoon.

Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais expressed deep concern over the allegation, while welcoming swift internal disciplinary action taken by police management against the call centre operator. She said any failure by an official to act when there is a duty to do so must be treated seriously.

“If established, this would constitute a serious dereliction of duty, particularly given the nature of the emergency and the consequences of that inaction,” Marais said.

Distress call under scrutiny

Marais acknowledged the difficult conditions under which police operate, including high levels of violent crime, limited resources and heavy volumes of emergency calls.

She said police officers and emergency call centre personnel often work under significant operational pressure, but stressed that these circumstances did not remove their responsibility to respond appropriately to the public seeking assistance.

“Members of the public who make use of the 10111 emergency service must be able to trust that their calls for assistance will be taken seriously and that appropriate action will follow,” she said.

“Where that does not happen, there must be accountability.”

Marais said the allegations also highlighted the need for police emergency response systems to be properly resourced, managed and responsive to communities.

Four bodies found burnt

The allegations come after the discovery of the bodies of four people in an open field near the N7 off-ramp on Malibongwe Drive in Dunoon on Sunday afternoon, 23 August.

Milnerton police were called to the scene, where officers found the victims’ charred remains metres apart.

The bodies had been burnt beyond recognition, making identification impossible at the scene.

Western Cape police spokesperson Sgt Wesley Twigg said investigators determined that tyres (necklace) had been used to set the victims alight.

The circumstances surrounding the killings remain unclear and police have not yet established the identities of the victims or the motive for the attack.

Serious violent crime unit investigates

A murder docket has been opened, with the investigation handed to detectives from the serious violent crime unit.

Investigators are working to establish what happened before the four people were killed, how they died and whether they were killed at the location where their bodies were found or brought there afterwards.

Police have not indicated whether any arrests have been made.

The discovery of the bodies close to a busy road could provide investigators with potential leads as they work to reconstruct the events surrounding the killings.

Marais condemned the attack, describing it as a “heinous and barbaric” act and expressing concern over the manner in which the victims were killed.

CPF condemns mob justice

The Milnerton CPF has strongly condemned the killings, saying the alleged actions cannot be justified regardless of the accusations against the victims.

“Regardless of what these men were accused of, no community has the right to act as judge, jury and executioner,” the CPF told TygerBurger.

The CPF said a case had been opened under Milnerton CAS 402/08/2026 and that no suspects had been identified or arrested at this stage.

A Provincial Task Team of detectives has been assigned to investigate the case.

The CPF said the killings reflected a community under strain, where residents increasingly feel the justice system is not responding quickly or visibly enough.

While acknowledging residents’ frustration, the CPF warned that vigilante violence could result in those involved facing prosecution for murder.

Police appeal for information

Police are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity in the area or has information about the victims or those responsible to come forward.

Information could assist detectives in establishing the identities of the victims and piecing together the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Anyone with information can contact the police on 08600 10111.

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