Cape Town - Hoping to make at least R100 a day to feed their families, hawkers trading along the Strand Street skywalk say they are bearing the brunt of drug abuse by street dwellers in the CBD.
With a spike in drug-related crime in almost all municipalities across the Western Cape between 2021/22, the City of Cape Town said illegal drug use was a problem and law enforcement officers executed numerous arrests for possession of illegal drugs.
When the Cape Argus visited the skywalk on Wednesday, a group of young men and teenagers were heating up drugs and smoking in the middle of the bridge.
Perfume-seller Andisiwe Ndude, 35, said drug abuse and associated violence created a space where customers were becoming scarce.
Ndude lives in Mfuleni and works to feed her three children and unemployed husband. She said on average she makes between R100 and R200 a day, and up to R300 on a good day.
“There’s a lot of crime, there are people who are doing drugs inside here. They will smoke and they will become violent. They will fight each other and then we end up being afraid. It affects our business because the customers run away,” Ndude said.
Shoeshiner, Bongani Njovane, 23, has been working on the skywalk for the past four months.
Charging R25 a shoe to clean, Njovane said crime repelled customers.
“There is big crime here. There are people smoking around, they are fighting all the time. When I spray my customers’ shoes, he or she gets suspicious, like they are scared of what’s happening around them.”
Njovane said it was best for them and businesses to “keep their heads down”.
Cameron Joseph, 38, who sells sage, buchu and other herbs, said hawkers teamed up when they witnessed criminals targeting customers or commuters.
“Here pick-pocketing is a big issue. When we see they are doing it, we say they must stop. I’m living in the ghetto in Manenberg where they shoot a lot. In Manenberg there is nothing for me. Business in Cape Town is much better,” he said.
Similar concerns were raised by hawkers near the Strand Street concourse that underwent a revamp in 2017. At the time the concourse was revamped, it was accessed by more 62000 pedestrians a day.
Law enforcement spokesperson in the metro, Wayne Dyason, said pickpockets and necklace snatchings were the most prevalent crimes, while illegal trading was also a problem.
“Illegal drug use is a problem and officers have executed numerous arrests for possession of illegal drugs.
“Petty crime is a problem and officers have consistently issued fines and arrested suspects – especially bag or necklace snatchers. Unfortunately, in many cases the victims refuse to press charges if their property is recovered. “Enforcement operations are conducted on a weekly basis.”
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said SAPS has heightened and increased deployment in areas where criminal activities was rife.
These deployments were done in line with SAPSs Safer Festive Season operational plan, currently underway.
“These operations and its deployments comprise integrated forces and force multipliers such as the other Law Enforcement Agencies, Traffic and Metro as well as Community safety structures such as the CPF and Neighbourhood Watches.
“We remain committed to ensure the safety of our inhabitants, businesses and visitors during the holidays, alike. More frequent and supplementary deployments will be done in hotspot areas during this festive season.”
“We appeal to everyone to be extra vigilant as criminals are very much opportunistic. Furthermore, report all suspicious persons and their behaviour.”
The Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID) said petty crime was prevalent in the CBD because it was a busy thoroughfare with a daily footfall of hundreds of thousands of people.
While it did not patrol the Strand Street skywalk, the CCID said as more visitors arrived in Cape Town for the festive and holiday season, it would increase its policing presence in the CBD.