By Aneeqa du Plessis
Killings have continued unabated in Hanover Park over the last three months. The shocking statistic comes after two elderly women were fatally wounded during a mass shooting in the area on Tuesday evening.
According to Philippi police, five women aged between 32 and 75-years-old were sitting at a house in Lansport Road, when a man who exited a grey VW Polo entered the premises and opened fire. All the women were struck but only two succumbed to their wounds.
Western Cape Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen has condemned the shooting. Allen called the incident is appalling and barbaric.
Speaking on VOC’s Breakfast show on Thursday morning, Community Policing Forum (CPF) member in the area, Yaseen Johaar said despite officials claiming to have everything under control in the area, residents are still prisoners in their own homes due to the gang violence.
“All the shootings that are happening in the area are gang related and for us this doesn’t come as a surprise because we are witness to shootings daily. Last month we had a shooting incident every single day. We can hear between 20 and 100 shots going off per day. It is a sad reality we are living in,” explained Johaar.
He further called for the end of political influence in matters that affect residents at grassroot levels.
“We cannot afford to play the political games because it is lives that are in danger. People are being killed and injured whether they are gangsters or not. It shouldn’t matter because all life is valuable. For the last three months we have had a killing every day in this community and that is a shocking fact,” described Johaar.
Furthermore, a 12-year-old boy was wounded in crossfire on Wednesday afternoon.
“We believe that crime interventions should not be reactionary. There needs to be measures in place to prevent criminality at its root cause and this needs a holistic approach that involves the community. We plan on giving the power of the community back to the imams and pastors. Maybe with God we can right the wrongs of Hanover Park,” added Johaar.
Anyone with information regarding the fatal shooting incident is kindly requested to contact Crime Stop 08600 10111.
Photo: Supplied
