Stone-throwing child gangs in Manenberg are gripping the community in fear as they fight over turf and girls.
Public Order Police (POP) were called into the area on Tuesday night as laaities once again clashed in the ongoing feud.
Videos showing the violent altercations have gone viral on chat groups as cops have confirmed the arrests of three participants who now face serious charges under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca).
Vanessa Adriaanse of the Community Police Forum (CPF) says the fights which have broken out in the Jordaan Street precinct have seen residents run for their lives, with properties and police vehicles also damaged.
She adds that the fights have led to the deaths of two mense in the past year, but claims sinister forces are behind the altercations as laaities are being groomed to become full-blown skollies.
“On Tuesday it was so bad that the POP was called in as well as Law Enforcement, Metro and SAPS as the three gangs started attacking each other.
“These children are mainly boys from as young as eight years old who have joined these child gangs and they fight over turf and other things,” Vanessa explains.
“In Great Fish [Avenue] you have the Brave Ones, in Gonubie Street you have the Agge [28s gang] and in Jordaan Street you have the No Fears.”
She says on Tuesday all three gangs lined the street and threw homes with klippe.
“What is worse is that even the adults have joined the fights now. There were even young girls in the crowds and many of the fights even started over girls.
“Right now the stone-throwing is worse than the shooting in Manenberg.
“What we have seen is that shortly after one of these fights erupts there is a follow-up shooting.”
Manenberg SAPS commander Sanele Zama says just two days after a constable was hurt, cops were called in again to quell the violence.
He says they they receive several complaints about stone-throwing each day.
“When officers disperse these heartless criminals, the community targets SAPS members, by pelting our officers with stones.
“At 5.05pm, two boys aged 13 and 15 and a 25-year-old male were arrested for public violence after a stone-throwing incident erupted in Jordaan Street , Manenberg. The Crime Prevention Unit managed to corner the suspects as the other stone throwers fled.
“They are charged with public violence and a section under the Poca Act for gang recruitment.”