A Hanover Park resident was shot and killed in Wale Street, Cape Town, during a minstrel practice march on Sunday.
During the unofficial event, the man was shot in the head, causing panic. Cape Town Central police were called to the scene where the man was announced dead.
While police would not identify the man, apart from saying he was from Hanover Park, other newspapers have reported that the deceased is 44-year-old Julie “Sollas” Solomon.
Captain Ezra October, spokesperson for the Cape Town Central police station, said the minstrel troupes had applied for a permit for the event but had been turned down by the City of Cape Town.
Councillor Eddie Andrews, Mayco member for tourism, events and economic development said in a statement that the man was shot and killed during an illegal back march.
“Further investigations into this matter are under way by the relevant law enforcement agencies.
“No arrests have been made for the murder but investigations are ongoing. Because it was an unofficial event that did not have a permit, there were no police on the scene,” he said.
However, he said, this shouldn’t in any way affect the annual New Year march that takes place in Bo-Kaap because it was an official event and there were plans in place to ensure the security of those who took part and those who attended.
Yusuf Safudien, who is on the events committee of the Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers’ Association, said most people who attended the event on Sunday were not from the area and that the civic association has no control over who comes into the Bo-Kaap. And, he said: “We only deal with events when they are official and have gone through the City of Cape Town permit procedures.”
Mr Safudien agreed that the incident was unlikely to affect the traditional New Year march.
“We put measures in place for the annual events and will work together (with the City of Cape Town and SAPS.”
Weldon Cameron, secretary of the Hanover Park Community Police Forum, confirmed that the victim was from Hanover Park. “I did not know him but he was known to us as a ‘high risk’ individual,” said Mr Cameron.
In a statement released by the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association, following the incident, they said: “We cannot allow a beautiful culture to be tainted by unruly characters who have their own agendas.”
