Cape Town - Westridge, Mitchells Plain, Mitchells Plain, residents were given an opportunity to address their concerns about safety and security in their neighbourhood in an imbizo.
The dialogue, which was poorly attended, was also meant to bring solutions to the high number of gang shootings and robberies in the area. Stakeholders included Fire and Rescue, law enforcement and metro police.
Mitchells Plain police station commander Jan Alexander said there were gangsters in the area and he was concerned that some of the perpetrators were young.
“We have seen murders and attempted murders, street robberies, those that happen in the mornings and evenings when people go to work and kids go to school.
“We have noticed that these incidents happen near bus stops while waiting for public transport.
“Some of the hot spots are Park and Silversands Avenues.”
He said the perpetrators were mostly males.
“Unfortunately, it's our male persons who are targeting people. We also have property-related crime but it has stabilised. We had theft out of motor vehicles and the hot spots include Shepherd Way and Ranger Close.”
Alexander said that Westridge was not as bad as other areas in Mitchells Plain. “It's still better than Tafelsig, Hyde Park, Eastridge and Rocklands.
“We can still do better, I know most of the community members know the perpetrators; it’s time to expose criminals. Our people tolerate crime, we must reach a point where you report crime.”
He said that another challenge in Mitchells Plain was gender-based violence (GBV).
“The station is number 1 of the top 30 stations in the province for common assault during GBV, and the females are the victims of these incidents and our males are perpetrators even with sexual assault.
“We urge men not to lift a hand onto a woman.”
Local councillor Ashley Potts said the idea of the imbizo was to gather all stakeholders and for the community to speak about their concerns.
“Crime is a huge problem with gangsterism and guns are readily available in the ongoing shootings which have escalated over a long time.
“We also invited the Fire and Rescue Service because people don’t know what to do when there’s a fire.
“Unfortunately, after informing the community about the (event), they decided not to come; that was their opportunity to have their voice heard.”
Resident Hester Nathan told Alexander that when they call the police, they don’t get a positive outcome.
“A woman who was assaulted by her partner called the van which didn’t come out, she went to the police station and was told a vehicle would go to her place that has not yet happened and that was not even this month.”
Alexander advised that people should take details of the officers they engaged with so he can deal with the complaints.