Crying tears of blood

THIS is the unfortunate situation we find ourselves in as the community of Ocean View. So many deaths and gun violence. It has taken the lives of 13 people in July 2017 and this year we stopped counting!

The trauma is unbearable. We live in an area that has sheer opulence around us and it is one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Surrounded by mountains and the ocean.

Many tourists pass by our hometown and visit only the areas that are crime free or much safer to enter. How is it possible that just across the road from us we see a different world? People living a different life. There is something wrong with this!

This year we commemorate the 50th anniversary of forced removals by the apartheid government in 1968.

We mourn as we have nothing to celebrate and we cry tears of blood because we have been forgotten by our leaders.

Blood flows down our streets and everywhere you walk you see a graveyard. Crosses remembering the dead. What symbols are we showing our young people that they are not protected by us?

What will it take to get assistance to deal with this problem? We’ve done selfintrospection after being criticised for not getting involved in the affairs of the community.

We’ve stepped up and are doing our part. What then? We have called on you for help and now what?

Should we go out on the street again to get your attention? Is shot spotters enough, is CCTV the only answer?

What are the safety plans for Ocean View? When will we have taxi permits for routes going to Mountain View and Atlantic Heights area? This will ensure that we get safe home after dark and when we leave to take public transport.

These routes have been requested by the Fish Hoek and Sun Valley Taxi Association for two decades now.

Is it right that we should remain paralysed and live in fear.

What is the progress on the Community Action Plan (MURP)?

You took an oath to serve and you have failed us!

God forbid that another life is taken.

Sharone Daniels Ocean View