A group of Hanover Park dads have been lauded by commuters for their selfless efforts in keeping their neighbours safe from gun-wielding skelms.
In recent weeks dads Mogamat Noor Nagel, Allen Daniels, Raeez Nagel, Bassier Ras, Clevell Bailey, Abdul Aziz Kock and Riedewaan Moses have taken a stand against robbers by patrolling a dangerous veldjie and footbridge.
The unemployed men, assisted by community worker Shamiela Raban, are on the streets as early as 5.30am along with their dog, Junior, to walk parents and children to the bus stop along Jakes Gerwel Drive.
Raban says two months ago an elderly man, coming from mosque, was held at gunpoint and robbed of all his valuables, spurring the fathers into action.
“After that incident they robbed a disabled 64-year-old woman who was on her way to wash her sickly mother,” says Raban.
“They even stole her mother’s kidney pille, they really don’t care.
“The guys came together to do something and went to go get that skelm out of his house.
“He is now in Pollsmoor.”
Nagel says they are not armed, and wear reflector bibs as they patrol the veldjie.
“You can see the taxis are actually stopping now for the mense. They never used to do that because they also get robbed.”
The fathers say while they face tikkoppe and armed gangsters every day they are not bang and will continue volunteering for their community.
“We do this every day for free because we want our people to be safe.”
He says the team needs help with equipment like torches, because it is very dark in the morning.
If you would like to help, call Shamiela on 072 522 0729.
monique.duval@inl.co.za