A Cape Town park has been renamed after seven-year-old Emaan Oosthuizen, who was killed in gang crossfire while playing outside her Ocean View home.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis oversaw the renaming of Libra Road Park to Emaan Oosthuizen Park, commemorating the young girl who died in February 2020.
The ceremony was attended by Emaan’s family and members of the Ocean View community, alongside Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews and Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health Francine Higham.
The event included the planting of trees and the unveiling of new park signage and wall artwork.
The City has also refurbished the park’s play equipment, including its seesaw, roundabout and hopscotch facilities, creating a renewed recreational space for local children and families.
Hill-Lewis said the renaming was intended to honour Emaan while representing the community’s determination to create a safer future for its children.
“It was so special joining Emaan’s family and the Ocean View community today for this park renaming, as a symbol of our hope and determination for a better future for our children and communities,” he said.
“Little Emaan’s story is a heart-breaking one, but I was always struck by the warmth and humanity of her family.”
Emaan was playing in her street in Ocean View when she was caught in gang crossfire and killed.
The subsequent criminal case continued for five years. In May 2025, two men were each sentenced to 35 years without parole following convictions relating to Emaan’s murder, the attempted murder of four other people and possession of illegal firearms.
Hill-Lewis said he hoped the renamed park, its artwork, trees and refurbished facilities would become a source of civic pride for Ocean View.
“The City will keep working for safer streets, and keep pushing to be ever stronger partners to SAPS in the fight against gang and gun crime,” he said.
Andrews, who chairs the City’s Naming Committee, said the committee supported the change as a symbol of hope for local families.
“May the tragedy of Emaan’s story in the future be associated with the resilience of local families to keep striving for a better tomorrow,” Andrews said.
Higham said maintaining the park would require continued collaboration between the City and Ocean View residents.
“The City’s goal is for our parks to support recreation, environmental conservation, and social well-being,” she said.
“Through continued investment and community partnerships, we can ensure these valued public spaces remain safe, accessible and enjoyable for all residents.”
