BROWNS FARM PHILLIPI- A NO GO AREA
Facebook Market Place Death Trap - a warning to all Cape Town Residents
On Monday 8 April 2024 at around 130pm, I was attacked while attempting to purchase a speaker from a seller from Facebook Marketplace. I should have heeded the warning signs but nevertheless thought I'd be fine if I stayed in my car. Boy was I wrong....
A brick was launched into my window (the driver's window) with such force that pieces of glass got embedded in the passenger's door (on the far side). That brick skimmed my face but had it hit me square on there is no doubt I would not be here to tell this story. It took me a few seconds to come to my senses and when I did, I was staring down the barrel of a gun.
A whole group of guys surrounded my car and bashed it. One guy grabbed my car keys and then I knew I was about to be hijacked. They ripped me out of the car and two or three of them scuffled each other for my phone which was in the car. Another guy demanded: "Where is the money?". I handed it over and then another stole my shoes while yet another cleared out the back of my car for anything useful. Then suddenly they all took off as if something disturbed them. I still had my jacket I was wearing, my watch and about R300 so whatever happened to make them suddenly leave, I was relieved. As they ran off one guy launched my key down the road and shouted "your keys, your keys". I don't know if this one took some pity on me but I had my escape route out of hell.
I rushed to fetch my keys and jumped in my car and sped off with my hand pouring quite a lot of blood. I had no idea where I was but just knew that I had to get out of the area fast. I eventually made it to a petrol station and called for help.
I was lucky. People have been murdered at the exact same spot for the same Facebook Marketplace deals gone wrong. In fact up the coast last weekend two brothers were murdered for a Facebook marketplace deal gone wrong. There are many attacks and people are being lured to dangerous areas.
Now you are asking where did this happen? If you have read this far, remember this name forever BROWN"S FARM. It is one of the most dangerous area in Cape Town and thus the world. Specifically Bristol Road at the Brown's Farm library is where my incident went down. The co-owner of Dixies was murdered near there. There are other stories of attacks you can find online.
You are probably thinking you idiot why did you go there. Well yes I feel stupid and I saw the signs. I even messaged my parents to send the address of where I was given just to let them know I am going into a dodgy area. But as I wasn't comfortable I asked the seller if we could meet at a public place. This turned out to be a library that had been ransacked. Apparently, the police station closed down there too because its too dangerous for the police?
How did I get myself in this mess? Well I was buying a speaker for a friend who was coming down to AfrikaBurn. I thought I was getting a decent deal. I exchanged numbers with the seller who said he needed the money urgently to pay school fees. There was even a child crying in the background. It felt above board. He even said he had the original box.
Well I left downtown Cape Town and made my way in the rain along the N2. Everything was going wrong. Even the smaller signs were there. Every robot red, people cutting me off etic I just knew I should turn around but I didn't. They were not going to stop this moth to a flame. I just felt compelled to keep going. Afterall, I have bought things off marketplace in these outer areas before and thought all would be fine. I said to myself I won't get out of the car that is my only rule. After agreeing to meet at a public place I thought I'd be fine. I thought because I could see my surroundings that I would be able to leave the area quickly if anything felt dodgy but what I hadn't anticipated is that the taxi that harmlessly passed me was full of gangsters who all rushed out.
It is a sad day because people like me enjoy meeting the 99% of amazing people across this city. I have never worried about townships too much and these poorer areas because they are mostly filled with good humans. But from now on I won't be going there anymore. This whole week I find myself being jumpy as a result. Because these attackers came so hard and so fast with no respect that next time someone will be killed by that brick or shot by that gun! Their MO might not be to actively kill but its a numbers game...I will say somewhere about 1 in 5 or 1 in 10 times they will kill the person by mistake.
I am very lucky to have got out of this incident with nothing more than a sprained wrist and damaged thumb. I also experienced what people talk about for those living in the area. So many people witnessed my attack but none did anything. I don't think it was because they didn't want to, I think it was because if they do, these gangsters won't hesitate to kill their own.
Thank you if you read this far. Please inform people of the risks in South Africa at the moment of buying off Facebook Marketplace. And NEVER EVER go anywhere near BROWN'S FARM PHILLIPI area. Never. Even UBER driver's won't go there after all the attacks. I had missed the previous incidents and so had to learn my lesson the hard way.
Permission to publish this article on Environmental and Social Development News Africa was granted by the author
