Western Cape police are searching for suspects after a six-year-old girl was shot in the head and wounded in Valhalla Park on Thursday morning.
According to police, the girl was caught in the crossfire during a gang-related shootout between rival gangs in Eloanor Street shortly after 9:20am. She was rushed to hospital for treatment. Bishop Lavis detectives have opened a case of attempted murder and are following all leads to bring those responsible to justice. The suspects fled the scene and have not yet been arrested.
The incident has drawn sharp reactions from community leaders, who described it as a stark example of residents being held hostage by ongoing gang violence in their own neighbourhoods.
Neil Daniels, public relations officer for the Bishop Lavis Community Police Forum (CPF), expressed shock at the news. “It is always shocking to get news like that,” he said. Daniels highlighted the need for proactive crime prevention rather than reactive “mop-ups,” calling for greater community involvement on the ground to gather real-time intelligence.
He pointed out that children should not be exposed to such dangers, noting that a six-year-old being out at that time raised broader questions about community systems. Daniels stressed the importance of better collaboration between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and all role players, including the CPF.
Regarding recent deployments, Daniels noted that while Operation Prosper — involving the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and SAPS to address gang violence on the Cape Flats — had been rolled out in various areas, the community in Valhalla Park had not yet received notice of its arrival in their specific area. He said the operation is managed through SAPS channels.
When asked if the community required the deployment of the army to tackle the gang violence, Daniels responded emphatically: “Most definitely.” He explained that gangs exert significant control over turf and leaders, making such intervention necessary. He described the challenges in the Bishop Lavis policing precinct, which includes Valhalla Park, as widespread and a “mammoth task,” with shootings occurring across the area. Daniels welcomed the idea of a proper cleanup operation.
The shooting in Valhalla Park forms part of a broader wave of violence in the Cape Flats. It comes against the backdrop of other recent incidents, including the fatal shooting of an off-duty member of the South African National Defence Force in Delft late on Wednesday night — an incident police confirmed had no link to Operation Prosper — and a drive-by shooting in Salt River the same night that left one person dead and another wounded, in which police made arrests.
Community members across Cape Town have voiced frustration, calling for more intelligence-led policing under Operation Prosper and better capacitation of local police stations to ensure visible policing that can deter such crimes.
Police continue to comb the scene in Eleanor Street, where evidence markers and spent cartridges were noted earlier in the day. The girl remains in hospital, and the community has expressed deep concern for her and her family.