A group of gatvol residents from St Montague Village took to the streets on Saturday to call on gangsters to lay down their guns amid ongoing sporadic shootings.
The initiative by residents and the moms of children who died in gang violence was aimed at creating awareness about the ongoing violence and calling for a plan from police to combat gangsterism and drug dealing in the Cape Flats community.
Resident Yaaseen Staggie, 21, says youngsters are living in fear and want the bloodshed to end.
He says: “Since the beginning of the year there have been ongoing shootings and so many deaths and the community is gatvol.
“We reached out to residents in Seawinds, Hillview and Lavender Hill about coming up with a plan to host a march.
“The four communities are split across Military Road and fall under two different police stations but we have the same problems.”
He says on Saturday, youngsters gathered in the streets and painted banners which included the names of those who have died in shootings.
“We invited Muizenberg SAPS and Steenberg SAPS to hand over a memorandum calling for a plan to combat these shootings and drug deals,” says Yaaseen.
“The mothers of children who died in gang violence joined us and raised their concerns.
“Only Muizenberg SAPS arrived and signed the memorandum and we were happy that they came to hear us out.
“We need something to change and the community is gatvol and we wanted to show the gangsters that we are tired of the shootings.”
monique.duval@inl.co.za