By Lee-Yandra Paulsen
Crime continues to plague the embattled community of Hanover Park, where gangs have cast a long shadow over daily life. In the wake of a harrowing botched hijacking incident that occurred on Wednesday afternoon, leaving two young hufaath (memorized the Holy Qur’an) fatally wounded, VOC Breakfast spoke to Yaseen Johaar, spokesperson for the Hanover Park Community Policing Forum (CPF), for insights and perspective.
Johaar shed light on the tragic event, explaining that the incident unfolded just before 3 pm at the intersection of Downberg Road and Greenturf Road. The cousins were subjected to a harrowing hijacking ordeal that ended in a hail of gunfire, with their vehicle crashing into the fence of a local old-age home.
“One of the victims was the son of the esteemed Shaykh Nabeel Majiet, who also served at a Mosque in Hanover Park a few years back. He is very well-known in the Hanover Park community and so is his son,” said Johaar.
The tension within the community remains palpable, as the incident only served to deepen the wounds of an already beleaguered neighborhood. To date, no arrests have been made, but Johaar emphasized the importance of ensuring that the South African Police Service (SAPS) meticulously follow established procedures in their pursuit of justice.
Tragically, this incident is not an isolated occurrence. Hanover Park has been a battleground for nearly a year, experiencing near-daily incidents of gun violence and weekly occurrences of murder.
Addressing the allocation of the City of Cape Town’s budget for crime-fighting technology, Johaar challenged the prevailing approach. Instead of investing in drones and body cameras, he argued that resources should be redirected towards addressing the root causes of crime. The community grapples with alarming rates of school dropouts, teenage pregnancies, and unemployment, making these pressing issues a more urgent focus.
Johaar underscored the importance of community engagement in decision-making processes, urging policymakers and officials to incorporate the voices and concerns of the communities affected by crime into their strategies and policies. In the ongoing battle against crime in Hanover Park, a holistic, community-driven approach may hold the key to lasting change.
VOC News
Photo: Supplied