THE body of a 28-year-old vagrant believed to be innocent was found on Friday morning after he was brutally killed in Hanover Park.
His body was found with stab and gunshot wounds lying against the wall of the council yard by a passerby on their way to work in Downberg Road around 7.30am.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Malcolm Pojie said that a murder case is currently under investigation.
Pojie reports: “Philippi SAPS registered a murder case for investigation following a shooting incident in Downberg Road, Hanover Park which claimed the life of a 28-year-old man.
"Members responded to the crime scene on Friday, 8 August 2025 at about 07:30 where they discovered the body of the deceased who had sustained a gunshot and stab wound to the upper body.
"He was declared as deceased by medical personnel who attended to the scene. No arrests have been made yet."
Public relations officer for the Hanover Park Community Police Forum, Kashiefa Mohammed said Hanover Park is currently a red zone amid gang violence.
But the circumstances remain unclear why the 28-year-old was killed.
Mohammed explained: “He was an innocent person with a drug addiction who used to skarrel in the rubbish bins.
"There is no reason why he was murdered because Hanover Park is a red zone area and it is just shootings and everyone just had to duck and dive while the community lives in fear everyday.
"They probably just came across him and took his life.
"According to what the community is saying, he used to go in the mornings to clean the mosque, scratch in the bins but he did not belong to any gang.
His body was found by one of the community members who were on their way to work. The area remains volatile, we have shootings anytime of the day all day long, it is as if we are in a Western movie that is taking place in Hanover Park."
Police are appealing to anyone with information about this incident to please contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or via the MySAPS mobile application, anonymously.