Eight people were shot and wounded in the Hanover Park area on on Wednesday afternoon.
Six of the victims were in a taxi travelling from Athlone Magistrates’ Court when they were attacked on Turfhall Road.
The taxi driver sped to Hanover Park Day Hospital where some of the passengers were transferred to Groote Schuur Hospital for further treatment.
A woman was shot in the leg, and one of the victims was shot in the head.
Two motorists, who were driving near the taxi, were also wounded.
Philippi Community policing forum (CPF) spokesperson Kashiefa Mohammed said: “The taxi driver decided to drive straight to the hospital. She didn’t stop when the shooting happened.
“I understand that there were two females shot and one of them was the driver of the private vehicle.
“The taxi came from Athlone court and had gangsters in it.”
Mohammed said the escalation in the gang violence in the area is stressing the residents out.
“We don’t know what is happening. On Tuesday night two people were shot, one was inside his home, meaning people aren’t safe in their own houses.
“The community needs to stand up against this, our children can’t play outside in Hanover Park. We are so paranoid, we tell our children not to stand in the corners or go to the shops.
“We are depressed because the gangsters are taking over our place. We just had a march on Sunday about this same issue.”
CPF secretary Yaseen Joshaar said the problem is the social ills.
“The problem we have is not gang violence but that we have high unemployment and high number of school dropouts and pregnancy.
“This is not rocket science, the government must get to the root cause of the situation. The politicians know this. The social ills must be addressed.”
Police spokesperson, warrant officer Joseph Swartbooi, said that SAPS in Lansdowne is investigating six counts of attempted murder.
Swartbooi said that detectives attached to Lansdowne SAPS searched a crime scene near the corners of Turfhall and Belgravia Roads for clues where six victims sustained gunshot wounds on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at around 1pm.
“Information at our disposal suggests that two unidentified gunmen opened fire at the occupants of a Toyota Quantum, and fled the scene on foot. The six victims were transported to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.
“We can confirm that two females sustained serious injuries. The motive for this attack is now the subject of an investigation by the South African police Service.
“Lansdowne police are investigating six counts of attempted murder,” he said.
Swartbooi appealed for public information that could assist with the investigation. Crime Stop can be contacted at 08600 10111 or the mobile application MySAPS can be used anonymously.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za