Members of the community march behind the Pagad G-Force banner Photo Facebook/ Pagad G-Force
Hanover Park – For decades, the Cape Flats have been in the relentless grip of gangsterism, a menacing issue that has persistently plagued the area. Amidst this enduring turmoil, the resilient community of Hanover Park has borne the brunt of this unforgiving scourge, grappling with its suffocating presence for generations. With every passing year, the situation has spiralled into a state of sheer desperation, pushing the community to the brink of despair which has now led to a unified response from the community’s religious leaders and residents.
Since the 1970’s, gangsterism has plagued the Cape Flats. Despite the passage of time, Hanover Park has seen little progress. Little has been done in improving the lives of the community’s residents. Limited access to education, inadequate infrastructure, and high unemployment rates have created an environment ripe for the growth of gangs and drug-related issues, said Sheikh Ebrahim Floris, Imam at Masjid al Taqwa.
“Everything is still the same. No increase in our schools, no increase in our drainage systems, no increase in any amenities in Hanover Park since I moved here [40 years ago]. Gangsterism flourishes in the area with this chaos. What’s triggered our community to rise was while people are coming to the Masjids and the churches every night, these shootings and nobody is rising up against these gangsters.”
The catalyst for change
What was once known as “Holy Park” has been turned into a warzone with the ceaseless gunfire. Hearing gunshots throughout the day, seeing dead bodies on the street every day, had cast an unrelenting shadow of fear and apprehension over the hearts of the residents. However, what shattered the last vestiges of hope and ignited a fervent determination within the community was the heart-wrenching tragedy that unfolded when on August 15, Aboobakr du Preez, 24, a young father, fell victim to a senseless act of violence. He was shot just a few feet away from Masijdur Rahmaan where he was walking to perform Isha (the night prayer).
Du Preez’s death is just one of the many innocent lives that have been taken due to the violence in Hanover Park. At the beginning of the month, a 17 year old girl from Solent Court passed away in hospital after she was caught in gang crossfire and wounded.
Du Preez’s murder and the murders of many other innocent people served as an agonising wake-up call, piercing through the numbness that had settled over the community’s collective soul. The Imams, in particular, those spiritual pillars of strength, could no longer bear to stand idle, recognising that the prospect of change, no matter how distant, was a lifeline they had to grasp without hesitation.
“Immediately, there were no meetings and no organising of any protests. Immediately, we galvanised all the Imams of the area. We came together at one mosque and we started speaking to our people and from that night, two weeks ago we went from one Masjid to the next. We have five Masajid in the area and all of the Imams, our hearts are united just to bring about peace in the area.”
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The unifying effort and building partnerships
That very same weekend (20 August) the community, which was led by Pagad G-Force, which despite its name, is not part of People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad), marched to have their voices heard. Accompanied by men with bows and arrows on horses, the slogan “One merchant. One bullet” could be heard being shouted by community members.
Members of the community standing behind those riding horses during the march (Facebook: Pagad G-Force)
The Imams of Hanover Park, Sheikh Floris, Moulana Yazeed Benjamin, Imam at Masjid al Nur, Moulana Yusuf Samaai, Imam at Masjidur Rahman, and Moulanas Taha Rodriques and Ebrahim Gaffoor, Imam at Masjid al Ilhlaas have made it clear that their commitment to change is lifelong. They are not seeking a short-term solution but rather a sustained effort to bring peace and prosperity to their community.
“We have not joined forces with any organisation. This was merely an attempt of the Imams of the area. There are also other faith-based organisations like the churches and the CPFs. They are all doing their work. Collectively, we’re going to try and create peace. In the past, we had a lasting peace for 10 years between the gangsters. There were no shootings and the police unfortunately have failed us in not coming and doing their work. Identifying all the drug dens and at the moment, there are so many drug houses in Hanover Park.”
It is up to the police to come in and clean up the drug dens and houses. The community can only point them out and so it needs to be a collective and collaborative effort between the community, police and any other organisation that can bring “peace and stability”.
One of the key strategies is to engage with government and private enterprises to invest in the community. Sheik Floris and the other Imams envision a partnership where the people of Hanover Park have a say in their community’s development, rather than outside conglomerates profiting and leaving.
“We are trying to reform and therefore the politicians and governments will also invest in this area. It should be a partnership where the people of Hanover Park will own Hanover Park. Not the big conglomerates coming into Hanover Park making all their billions and millions here and investing it in other areas. We’re trying to uplift for the future of our children, not for us.”
The heart-wrenching loss of du Preez, coupled with the countless other innocent lives claimed by the violence that plagues Hanover Park, has roused the community from its despair. In response, the unwavering Imams rallied the residents, their hearts united in a relentless quest for peace. This unified effort will not be a fleeting endeavour. It is a lifelong commitment to uplift the community. The Imams envision a partnership with government and private enterprises that empowers Hanover Park residents to reclaim ownership of their community’s future, bringing lasting change for the sake of their children by ridding their area of gangsterism.
