The community of Broadlands Park in Strand welcomed a visit from Pagad last weekend, following ongoing gang-related shootings in the area.
Community leader Zorah Motasi says Pagad’s visit last Saturday came after several murders in recent months and their complaints seemingly falling on deaf ears.
Motasi says: “We already had marches to the police station, we have already sent emails to the police commissioner, but nothing happened.
“The coming of Pagad was then a beacon of hope and it still gives hope.”
Several residents were also threatened by skollies in the area.
Addressing the distressed community, Pagad’s National Coordinator, Haroon Orrie, urged them to be brave, saying it will depend on them to fight back against crime.
Orrie says: “This is a new start for this community and how we are going to roll out this plan to solve the problem in the area is not up to us, but from you as well. We are going home and can come again, but you live here.
“What we must tell the people in this community is that a gangster and a drug dealer, he is a person like us.”
He said Pagad will visit Strand again to ensure that the fight against gangsterism and drugs continues.
Motasi added that urgent interventions are needed, as they fear Broadlands Park might turn into another Hanover Park or Manenberg.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za