Hundreds of people from different churches, organisations and communities marched for peace on Sunday August 19.
The prayer march against gun violence was called after months of gang-related shootings and violence in Lavender Hill, Seawinds, Hillview and St Montague’s Village.
Over the past two months several people have been killed and injured, including children and the elderly during gang-related shoot-outs.
A 14-year-old girl was shot and killed in her home on Tuesday August 14 at about 9am in St Roberts Street, Hillview, when a gangster opened fire on her while she was doing dishes in the kitchen.
The group of worshippers held a service on the corner of Military Road and St Christopher Street and condemned the senseless shootings.
Later the group walked to seven hot spots where there have been shootings and to the homes of alleged gangsters and drug merchants.
Community worker Aysha Davids said residents are held captive in their communities.
“We are not able to walk in the different communities because gangsters are saying we don’t belong in their areas because we live in their gang’s territory. We are hoping that things like this march will help stabilise the area because the shootings are at its worst and it’s mostly innocent people who are being shot,” said Ms Davids.
Steenberg Community Police Forum (CPF) chairperson, Gavin Walbrugh, said the CPF supported the initiative.
“The community is in such a state at the moment because there have been daily shootings at all times of the day. What’s happening in these areas is a crime to humanity because it’s mostly innocent people being shot. It’s totally unnecessary and these gangsters have lost all respect for people’s lives.
“We are, however, still sitting with a problem where the residents are not coming forth and showing the gangsters that they are tired of the shootings in the area. People are witnessing the shootings but they’re not coming forth with the information,” said Mr Walbrugh.
He said the shootings have been at an all-time worst.
‘We are at a tipping point where people need to decide if they are going to continue allowing these gangsters to take over the community or if they are going to work with police to arrest the culprits,” he said.
Lucinda Evans, the Mitchell’s Plain CPF cluster chairperson, said peace is attainable in the volatile areas.
The cluster includes Steenberg, Grassy Park, Lansdowne, Athlone, Philippi, Mitchell’s Plain, Strandfontein and Lentegeur police stations.
“We want the community to start speaking. We want to know where these gangsters are and where the guns are. Children can’t go to school, there has been huge absenteeism from all the schools in the area because most of the time that gangsters shoot are the times the children walk to and from school and when people come from work. That is cowardly behaviour and we hope what will happen from this point is that the community will start speaking and supporting the police to get the gangsters and the guns out of the area so that peace can be returned to the community,” said Ms Evans.
Ralph Bouwers said solidarity in the community is important: “We must show that we are standing together to send a strong message to the perpetrators who are holding our communities hostage that we will not tolerate this and we will fight to get our communities back”.
Clive Jacobs said the march is long overdue.
“This is a way forward because it shows that we are all united in this fight. I hope that a solution is reached soon because it is desperately needed to bring stability to the communities.”
A police base station on the corner of Military Road and St Christopher Street has been established as part of police’s Operation Thunder.
Steenberg police station spokesperson, Constable Wesley Twigg, said the base station was put up to help curb gang violence and respond more efficiently to shootings in the surrounding communities.
Asked if the operation has been successful, Constable Twigg said: “We have had quite a few arrests for possession of firearms because we were able to respond quicker. We hope to make more arrests.”
Captain Stephen Knapp, spokesperson for Muizenberg police, said he is not able to confirm the number of people injured and killed.
“Crime stats are released by the national office bi-annually, but we have had various shooting incidents where the loss of life has occurred,” he said.
Asked what police have implemented to counter the increase in gang shootings and activities, Captain Knapp said 24-hour deployment are in place in the affected areas. “The community has been engaged so as to ensure community mobilisation. Operation Thunder has been implemented and various arrests for possession of illegal firearms and ammunition and possession of narcotics, have been effected. There has been a marked increase in police visibility in the area,” he said.
He encouraged witnesses to provide statements to police relating to gang incidents and the public in general to not interfere or hamper police at crime scenes.