Cape Town - While Hanover Park pupils excitedly made their way to school on Wednesday morning, the reality of gang violence in the community tainted the day when a suspect was arrested for the possession of a firearm.
A shooting occurred at Oribi Court, Hanover Park Avenue, on the doorsteps of a number of primary schools in the area.
A parent who did not want to be named and who had just seen their child off at one of the primary schools said the community was fed up with gang violence in the area.
“We can’t even have peace taking our children to school then these gangsters still show no remorse, wanting to carry out their criminal deeds in the community. We bring our children to school with hopes of a better future for them, but being kept hostage in this community by hitmen and gangsters running the show day and night, it’s nearly impossible.
“Our children grow up seeing this daily. The suspect was caught with his gun just as the school bells rang. Why are they even wanting to shoot so early? The lives of our children matter and should be treated that way,” said the mother.
CPF spokesperson Kashiefa Mohammed said: “This gang war has been going on for months before the festive (season). When schools closed (for holiday) our children couldn’t play outside due to the everyday shooting; every week there was a murder.
Now with going back to school, the fear the mothers and parents in Hanover Park have is sending (their) child off to school in the morning (and worrying), is the child going to come back? Gangsterism is taking over our community; people are not even safe in there own houses,” said Mohammed.
Ceasefire Hanover Park chairperson Craven Engel said they feared for the lives of pupils.
“This internal gang conflict has been ongoing. And our fears are for the children, and no extra measures were put in place by law enforcement to safeguard scholars. But the neighbourhood and walking bus people are doing their best to keep kids safe.
“At this point even our hands are tied with these internal gang conflicts.
It’s actually sad that the first day of school must be hampered by gang violence. The right to education is not protected,” said Engel.
Enquiries to police were not be answered by deadline on Wednesday.
Cape Times