Significant drop in gang-related Hanover Park shooting incidents
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers
The City of Cape Town has made significant progress in combating gang violence, with recent statistics revealing a 20% decrease in shooting incidents and a remarkable 30% drop in Hanover Park over the last quarter.
Interventions spearheaded by the Safety and Security Directorate have led to the successful confiscation of 46 firearms and over 300 rounds of ammunition since January, targeting specific hotspots such as Hanover Park, Manenberg, Nyanga, and Lavender Hill.
Since the implementation of advanced gunshot detection technology — known as SoundThinking (formerly ShotSpotter) — in consultation with the South African Police Services (SAPS), authorities have been better equipped to respond to incidents of gun violence rapidly and effectively.
This innovative system allows law enforcement to hear and locate gunfire in real time, providing critical data to combat territorial disputes between rival gangs. Since January 2023, the system has recorded an eye-watering 24,795 rounds fired across the four targeted communities, marking a vital shift in the approach towards law enforcement in a city that has long been plagued by gun violence.
A victim who was shot in the back being transported to the ambulance.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers
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In Hanover Park alone, the number of shooting incidents has dropped by 20% from 291 in the same period last year to 224. Additionally, the total rounds fired in the area have decreased by 30% from 817 to 546, demonstrating a broader shift towards community safety.
Mayoral committee member for safety and security, Alderman JP Smith, said in Hanover Park, dedicated ShotSpotter deployment which consists of Metro Police, Law Enforcement, and Traffic Service.
'We're committed to tracking these cases in local courts, and our integrated approach allows us to analyse shooting patterns and ensure proactive policing in the area.'
The collaboration between various law enforcement departments has proven beneficial in the fight against crime. In one recent incident, five gunmen were apprehended after responding to ShotSpotter activations and receiving vital tip-offs from residents.
Smith said there are dedicated departments that track these cases at the local court to ensure the chain of custody is intact to secure better convictions, analyse shooting patterns so they can strategically deploy resources, and send out alerts.
Since 2021, City Law Enforcement and Metro Police officers have confiscated 705 firearms across the four ShotSpotter areas: Manenberg, Hanover Park, Nyanga, and Lavender Hill. Of these confiscations, we have obtained 33 guilty convictions. Some of these matters are still before the courts, and others were provisionally withdrawn as SAPS await the outcomes of ballistic reports.
Between January 2021 and January 2025, the City's enforcement agencies have removed 1,670 firearms from the streets of Cape Town. This includes prohibited firearms, zip guns, and replica firearms.
'We have obtained 81 guilty convictions, but many of these cases are still before the courts with 143 ballistic reports outstanding,' Smith said.
'The main misconception about ShotSpotter is that it will end gun violence. ShotSpotter is the alarm, not the sprinkler. It provides one single version of the truth about the high levels of gun violence affecting our communities. In the Safety and Security Directorate, we have integrated the data it provides to execute intelligence-driven policing. This data is shared with the SAPS. The City is also seeking legal opinion on ballistic testing and forensics to assist SAPS to hopefully address the ballistics backlog,' Smith added.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
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