Cape Town - The Surrey Estate Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) has warned residents to be cautious when travelling in and around Manenberg,as a result of growing safety concerns over gang warfare.
The neighbourhood watch executive said due to the ongoing gang wars over the past weeks, and with an escalation in recent days, residents were urged to refrain from entering the area unnecessarily.
While Manenberg was mentioned, neighbourhood watch executive member, Ebraheem Regal, said the alert was for all surrounding areas. Heideveld, Hanover Park, and other areas on the Cape Flats are rife with gang-inflicted violence.
“These guys are shooting across main roads, running across areas where there are high traffic volumes and they don't care where they shoot, or what they shoot at,” Regal said.
“We’re speaking to our community leaders such as our imams and priests to find a solution, because innocent people are dying. The gangsters are shooting at one another, but they are not dying.
“It's innocent people getting shot every day.”
Manenberg Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Vernon Visagie said the public warning was relevant and warranted. Visagie said some gains, however, had been made in the fight against criminality and gangsterism.
“Since we placed more feet on the ground, we retrieved guns and gang members were arrested.
Athlone CPF chairperson Sharon Classen commended the neighbourhood watch for taking a proactive step in keeping the community informed of the risks in and around the area.
She said communities should report perpetrators of gun violence.
“Yes, harassment and intimidation by gangsters is a reality. But until such time that these perpetrators are brought to book, we will continue to live in fear,” Classen said.
She said the justice system had failed many communities by releasing identified criminals back on to the streets without being convicted.
Cape Argus