'Hanover Park is a war zone'

GANG violence continues to plague the community of Hanover Park after two innocent people aged 17 and 29 years were shot and wounded in crossfire on Sunday night.

Police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk said Philippi police are investigating an attempted murder case after a 17-year-old girl and a 29-year-old male were shot and wounded on Sunday in Etosha Court.

Van Wyk reports: “Circumstances surrounding a shooting incident [Sunday] night at about 20:20 at Etosha Court, Hanover Park, where two persons, a girl aged 17 and a male aged 29 were shot and injured are under investigation. 

"The injured victims were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Philippi police registered an attempted murder case for investigation. The motive for the attack is part of an ongoing investigation.”

Spokesperson for the Hanover Park Community Police Forum, Kashiefa Mohammed said dit gaan gerook in die Hanover Park and the reason for the shooting is gang related.

“Hanover Park was like a war zone on Sunday night. The shooting is an in-fight among gang members who are fighting tussen mekaar and it is all about turf, drug money and smokkelry and it is all over Hanover Park," Mohammed explained. 

"This has resulted in the community living in constant fear because the shooting doesn't stop. At 4pm, the hele Hanover Park is quiet like a graveyard, the children don’t even play outside or cars don’t even drive because they shoot at any time. 

"When we attend to one scene then there is another shooting happening on the other side and so it goes, dit hou nie op nie. The children are being robbed from their youth because they need to stay inside, they can’t play outside like we used to back in the day. Our young people’s lives are also being taken because if they are not being recruited by these gangsters then innocent lives are being lost.”

Kashiefa said that another issue that has taken over the community is stone-throwing.

“When it is not shooting then it is stone throwing," she explained.

"People’s windows and vehicles are being smashed by these stone throwers who are still jong laaities, where are their mothers? It starts with stone throwing, then it is a mes stekery dan is it ‘n gun skietery. 

"We don’t know what to do anymore because we keep imbizos, interventions, sports days but still the shooting continues.”

Police are appealing to anyone with information to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or MySAPS mobile application anonymously.  All information will be dealt with confidentially.