The army was called into Hanover Park on Saturday after two innocent men were caught in the crossfire of gangs, leaving one dead and another fighting for his life.
Angry residents say “all hell broke loose” as members of the Mongrels and Dollar Kidz gangs opened fire, leaving children to run for their lives.
In the first incident a construction worker, Bradley Heynes, 37, was gunned down just metres from his home in St Lucia Court while walking with a friend in Surran Road.
His heartbroken mother, Wilma, 54, says her worst fear became a reality when skollies opened fire indiscriminately on the father of one leaving him to bleed to death in the street shortly after 5pm.
“I was at the shop when they came to fetch me and tell me Bradley was shot,” she explains.
“When I got there he was already gone and I am still in shock, so I am not sure how the shooting happened.
“Bradley told me he was going to Mitchells Plain on Saturday morning, I didn’t even know he was back in Hanover Park.”
With the ongoing gang fights, Wilma says, she warned her first born to be careful at all times.
GUNNED DOWN: Bradley Heynes
“Bradley wasn’t a gangster and so he had a lot of friends and he walked everywhere.
“I always told him to be careful because now they mos just shoot; they don’t still look, they just see you in another turf and then you’re dead.
“My worst fear came true when I saw my son laying like that. I just want to ask the killer what Bradley did to them,” she cries.
Several hours later, Damian Visser, 19, was shot while visiting his cousin in Galway Court.
Aunt Theresa Brown, 50, says Damian moved to Hanover Park recently and was mistaken for a gangster.
“He comes from Atlantis and came to live with us because he was looking for work and made an application at Gattis.
“He went to see his cousin and mos didn’t know how the gang turfs work and they shot him in the mouth.
“He is on life support at Groote Schuur Hospital and we don’t know if he is going to make it.”
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana, confirms the cases and says no arrests have been made.
Community Police Forum (CPF) chairperson, Ebrahiem Abrahams, says the army was brought in after Damian was shot, but he says residents warned police more people would die.
“Just last week we handed over a memorandum to them saying something must be done,” he says.
“Every weekend it is a bloodbath and now another two innocent people are gunned down.
“The community is very frustrated and people are living in fear.”
monique.duval@inl.co.za