Cape Town - Gang violence has flared up in Cape Town with three shootings reported in or near Hanover Park and one in Delft at the weekend.
Late on Sunday, a 34-year-old man was gunned down in Pinati Estate, adjacent to Hanover Park.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
According to police, residents heard gunshots around 6.30pm and called the police station.
The man’s body was found with several bullet wounds in Allison Road. He had not been identified at the time of going to press as his next of kin had not been informed.
No arrests have been made and an attempted murder case was opened.
Earlier on Sunday, a 22-year-old man from Hanover Park was killed near his home. A six-year-old boy was injured in the crossfire.
Police provincial spokesman Captain Frederick van Wyk confirmed the shooting incident at Lomond Court in Hanover Park.
Van Wyk said the man had sustained multiple bullet wounds. The child was wounded in his side and his arm.
Police are investigating a case of murder and attempted murder and no arrests had been made by 6pm on Sunday.
Around the same time another shooting occurred in Athburg Road, also in Pinati Estate.
Police said they were investigating an attempted murder case after a 30-year-old man was shot in his right leg.
In Delft, a 14-year-old girl from Hanover Park was killed in a drive-by shooting on Sunday morning.
It is alleged she had been sitting in the passenger seat of a stationary green Nissan Navara when the shots were fired from a white Golf in Gregory Street in Eindhoven. She died from a bullet wound to the head. The 21-year-old driver was not injured.
Van Wyk said the incident may have been gang-related. A murder case was opened for investigation.
Piet Siegelaar, the neighbourhood watch co-ordinator in Eindhoven, said the community was in shock.
He said people were speculating about the shooting and believed it might have been a revenge attack.
“It is the first time in years we’ve had something like this in this area. They were not from here, they were from Hanover Park,” he said.
“As the neighbourhood watch, we are not going to tolerate this kind of gang violence in our community. These gangs are not welcome here and we will work with police to get them out.”
In Hanover Park on Sunday several police cars patrolled the area, cordoning off some roads.
Community Safety MEC Dan Plato confirmed the shooting in Hanover Park. He said he was aware of current conflicts between rival gangs the Americans and the Laughing Boys.
He confirmed that a child had been injured in the crossfire on Sunday morning and taken to hospital.
Plato said he had a meeting with community leadership in Hanover Park last Thursday.
He was optimistic that the leadership remained “unified” despite the breaking of peace truce negotiations among gang members.
He said the leadership had said they were given a “directive” by certain gang members last week who threatened to “shoot at random”.
“The leadership is of the opinion that the police know about it,” Plato said.
“If the police can arrest the top ring leaders, the feeling from the leadership is that the violence will stop.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
Cape Argus