BY Vincent Lali this post first appeared at Elitsha
IN SUMMARY:
March against crime: Dozens of community members and crime fighters marched from Khwezi to Makhaza Police Station in Khayelitsha, chanting: “We will move forward though they shoot us.” Other groups marched from Strand, Lwandle, Somerset West, and Nomzamo, converging at the same police station.
March organizers: Phindile George, secretary of the Khayelitsha Community Policing Forum (CPF), said the march was organized by a sub-district of the CPF which includes four police stations: Macassar, Strand, Somerset, Lwandle, and Gordons’ Bay. This sub-district is listed as one of the top 30 crime hotspots nationally. The march aimed to “silence the guns” and encourage residents to report crime, especially illegal firearms.
Crime challenges in Khayelitsha: George highlighted widespread crime throughout Khayelitsha, noting specific hotspots: “Ngwalaza Street is a hijacking hotspot.” “Shooting incidents happen frequently in Green Point, Site B, and Site C.” The township is also affected by extortion rackets targeting small and medium-sized businesses.
Extortion issues: Justin Kunlehm, provincial spokesperson for the CPF, mentioned the severe extortion problem in Khayelitsha, where businesses, taxis, and building companies must pay protection fees. Kunlehm emphasized that residents must provide information to the police to effectively combat gang violence and extortion: “They must still crack down more.”
Community voices: Zukiswa Dziba, secretary of the South African National Civics Organisation (Sanco), joined the march, stating: “I’m tired of crime.” She shared a personal experience where her niece’s phone was snatched. Dziba also called for greater police visibility and search operations in B section: “It’s unacceptable that the police are not visible in areas as big as B section.”
Green Point Neighbourhood Watch member: An anonymous member of the Green Point Neighbourhood Watch reported drug sales and gun violence in the area, stating: “We are not safe. We want the police to remove guns from our areas.”
Weapons issue in Khayelitsha: Funeka Soldaat, acting chairperson of Khayelitsha Sub-district Policing Forum, said: “Sixty percent of crime in Khayelitsha involves guns.” Soldaat urged residents to report illegal firearms, pointing out that the crime rate is high because residents don’t report criminals.
Lwandle CPF chairperson’s concerns: Siyabonga Makhawula, chairperson of Lwandle CPF, spoke about prevalent crimes in Lwandle, such as murder, house-breaking, and extortion. He also mentioned that criminals now target even small businesses, like salon owners operating in shipping containers.
Fear of reporting crime: Makhawula noted that many residents are too afraid to report crimes because they fear retaliation from criminals: “Residents are scared to come forward with information.”
Police support and commitment: Brigadier Mnoneleli Magobiyane, Khayelitsha sub-district commissioner, assured CPF members of police protection: “We would sleep peacefully if there were no guns.” He promised to improve police relations with CPF members, stating: “Some police look down on CPF members. The police must not drive past them without saluting.”
