Numerous spent bullet casings were recovered from the roadway, pointing to a sustained exchange of gunfire. Residents and community leaders have renewed calls for stronger safety interventions in Overport following Sunday’s fatal shooting near East Street Park.
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The Overport community is coming together after a shooting on Sunday claimed two lives. While the incident has left many shaken, residents and leaders are already joining forces to find solutions, strengthen safety, and protect their neighbourhood.
The shooting happened at the corner of East and Crescent Streets off Ridge Road on 26 April. A second victim, initially rushed to hospital, later died from gunshot wounds. The motive remains unclear, and police investigations are continuing.
Emergency responders arrived to find multiple spent bullet casings in the roadway. A passing motorist’s vehicle was reportedly struck during the gunfire. The incident sent alarm through surrounding businesses, residents and the elderly at nearby housing of The Association for the Aged (TAFTA) .
For residents at TAFTA on Ridge, the violence was felt directly – stray bullets struck isolated areas of the building, including a bathroom and unoccupied rooms. No residents or staff were injured, but many were left shaken.
TAFTA CEO Femada Shamam said residents and staff responded calmly, supported by emergency protocols already in place.
“Our teams responded immediately, checking on every resident and advising them to remain safely indoors as a precaution,” Shamam said. Support and debriefing sessions followed the next day. While on‑site security was not breached, she acknowledged the incident had affected residents’ sense of safety.
TAFTA has since supported calls for engagement with the ward councillor and municipal authorities to explore additional interventions, including possible clear‑view fencing around the park to improve visibility and security.
Ward 31 councillor Remona McKenzie said intervention efforts were already under way before the shooting, including municipal action against illegal operations believed to contribute to criminal activity, as well as joint clean‑up and enforcement operations involving SAPS, security companies and residents.
Following the shooting, McKenzie confirmed an urgent high‑level meeting will be convened with ward structures, police and security stakeholders.
“The focus is clear, intensify enforcement, restore order, and decisively address criminal and illegal activities affecting the community,” she said.
Community activist and business owner Azhar Bennett, a former CPF member, said the shooting reflected wider concerns residents have voiced for some time.
“This brazen act of violence in a public space is completely unacceptable. Our community should be a safe environment for businesses and residents, not scenes of criminal activity,” Bennett said.
He pointed to ongoing concerns around vagrancy, unauthorised car guards, theft, armed hijackings and robberies, and called for stronger visible policing, targeted law enforcement operations and better communication between police and residents.
Residents and community leaders have also called for improved lighting, stronger patrol visibility and tighter regulation of unlawful street activity. A Crescent Response safety meeting is expected to be convened urgently.
“This requires collective will and commitment to be part of the change,” McKenzie said.