According to data collected by the
South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) over 700 people were murdered in Gugulethu between 2005 and 2010. "This amounts to one murder every two-and-a-half days for five consecutive years." In a 2017 study of the 50 most violent cities in the world, Cape Town ranked number 15.
Notable incidents • In March 1986, South Africa's Apartheid security murdered seven young black men. The incident became known as
The Gugulethu Seven. The seven men were: Zandisile Zenith Mjobo, Zola Alfred Swelani, Mandla Simon Mxinwa, Godfrey Jabulani Miya, Themba Mlifi, Zabonke John Konile and Christopher "Rasta" Piet. They were members of the military wing of the
African National Congress known as
Umkhonto we Sizwe. • In 2017, Major-General Andre Lincoln stated during his testimony while under cross-examination in the
Western Cape High Court that police officers removed evidence from the scenes of government-ordered crimes such as
The Gugulethu Seven in the 1980s. • In August 1993, Gugulethu was the site of the violent murder of a young white American woman,
Amy Biehl, in the upheaval following the official end of
apartheid and before the multi-racial election of 1994. In 1998, four men were convicted of Amy's murder. They were pardoned by the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Ms. Biehl's family supported the release of the four men. They started the
Amy Biehl Foundation Trust in the townships to work with youth. The foundation's goal to empower young disadvantaged youth by using education and culture to deter crime and drugs. An Amy Biehl Memorial site was created in Gugulethu and tours into the township to see the memorial and visit some of the schools where programs were created by the Amy Biehl Foundation. • In November 2010,
Swedish tourist
Anni Dewani was murdered in Gugulethu while on her honeymoon. Anni Dewani's husband became a suspect in the trial of her murder. He fought a three-and-a-half-year battle against extradition to South Africa. Accusations and confusions by the accused suspects in the murder that the car-jacking and crime were staged by the billionaire husband
Shrien Dewani. • On June 10, 2014, 62-year-old Mbuyiselo Manona was murdered in Gugulethu by Andrew Chimboza. Chimboza stabbed Manona multiple times. Various news outlets stated that Andrew ate Manona's heart. Chimboza denied it. Chimboza pleaded guilty at the Western Cape High Court of stabbing Mbuyiselo Manona. He did not mention in court anything about removing or eating Manona's heart. • On the evening of the 2 November 2020 the
Gugulethu massacre took place at a home in NY78 in which 8 people died and one was injured. == Organisations and projects in Gugulethu ==