Eastern Cape residents find themselves trapped in a harrowing reality as crime and gang violence continue to haunt their daily lives.
In the heart of this turmoil is Hendrina Potgieter, a 66-year-old community leader residing in the notorious gangster hotspot neighbourhood known as "Die Gaat" within Helenvale.
Potgieter told IOL that her first-hand experience with the devastating impact of violence on her community is a stark reminder of the ongoing crisis.
She painfully recounts the tragic loss of her 20-year-old grandson, who fell victim to senseless violence on March 21, 2021.
Potgieter said he was neither a gang member nor a criminal. "I only saw police on the scene then, on the day when we went to the mortuary, and that was it. Two years down the line and sitting with a cold case," Potgieter lamented.
In addition to that, her own home and property have not been spared from the turmoil. Her home was petrol bombed on three separate occasions, as was her vehicle. In none of these cases, arrests have been made.
She also reflected on the recent weeks of turmoil in Helenvale and revealed that she and other activists tried to take action to effect change.
“These past two weeks were terrible in Helenvale. Myself and another three community activists went to see the cluster commander at Mount Road SAPS to see how we can take action to solve this issue, but police resources are limited,“ revealed Potgieter, adding that police are ”passing the buck to one another“.
When IOL asked if she knew if authorities had any plans to stem the violence, she said, "I don't think they have a plan to combat this crime as it's continuing in our area. You cannot trust SAPS members because some of them are in cahoots with gangsters."
Disturbingly, the Eastern Cape has had a staggeringly high murder rate, standing at 17.7 murders per 100,000 individuals in the first quarter of 2023/24 (from April to June 2023).
The province also grapples with an alarming rape rate, with 22.2 cases per 100,000 people recorded during the same period. Furthermore, Nelson Mandela Bay remains a hotspot for truck hijackings, witnessing a troubling 28.6% surge compared to the previous year's figures.
As Potgieter's pleas and the province's escalating crime rates underscore, there is an urgent need for a more robust and effective police response in the Eastern Cape.
The situation has prompted the political party ActionSA to express deep concern over the persistent violence and shootings that continue to plague the Nelson Mandela Bay region. They have voiced criticism regarding Minister Cele's recent visit to the violence-ridden Northern Areas, characterising it as an allocation of resources without concrete solutions.
"The current government does not have the interests of Eastern Cape residents or their freedom at heart. Government ministers consistently downplay residents' constitutionally protected rights, placing them low on their list of priorities," remarked ActionSA's Athol Trollip in a statement.
For residents in areas like Helenvale, New Brighton, Motherwell, and others, life is overshadowed by constant fear. Sporadic shootings, violent hijackings, home invasions, and gruesome murders have become a grim routine. Regrettably, the police presence remains limited, leaving communities to grapple with their safety concerns on their own.
As the region faces these harrowing challenges, it is evident that urgent action and substantial resources are required to restore a sense of safety and security to the lives of its residents.
IOL has reached out to the Eastern Cape police, but they have not provided a comment.
IOL