What was meant to be a day filled with fun activities, markets and special guest appearances by local celebrities has been postponed due to the ongoing gang tensions in the area.
On Saturday 28 May, Vannie Hanover Park was meant to celebrate their second birthday on the open field situated in Blomvlei and Lynburg roads, but taking safety into consideration, it was postponed to a later date.
The organisation founded at the height of the lockdown in 2020 aims to encourage fitness and staying active with free fitness classes and other community initiatives.
Glenn Hans, founder of the organisation, says the most recent flare-up has been active for around a month with shootings increasing in Hanover Park.
“It mostly happens during the day and it is sad to see it happen on this field where there has been no violence for the past 30 or 40 years. It has left the community traumatised,” he says.
There is tension in the area, says Hans, stating that residents are sad and in disbelief.
“We felt it necessary to postpone the event due to the shootings happening at the field where we train and come out five days per week for our exercises. We don’t feel free to do our workouts,” he says.
Residents are calling for satellite offices to assist in quicker reaction times from law enforcement agencies.
Vannie Hanover Park operates in thearea known as Cowboy Town and has since moved their workouts to another location within Hanover Park.
“We are at Lansport Community Centre to do our workouts where we can be safe. Lansport is also a high risk area but we have no choice but to be in a facility so we can be safe. We like to be outside, but don’t have a choice,” says Hans.
They aim to host the event later in the year.
“We just hope there will be some sort of ceasefire or talks between the gangs, so that our community can be stabilised again and we can go forth with the activities in the open spaces,” he says.
“We believe change is going to happen in our community and Vannie Hanover Park is going to be back on the field and do some good work on the field again, but at this moment we are standing out of the line of fire, so we can all be together again.”
Philiipi police have identified Hanover Park as a hotspot area for crime and violence and have affected several arrests.
