Authorities must ensure witness protection

THE story about the predicament of Pastor Brendan Olivier (“Witness living in fear eight years later”, January 17) reflects the fear of many community members in the northern areas, and in Helenvale in particular. I think this is one of several key factors contributing to the ongoing gang challenge in the northern areas.

Often much of the focus is placed on the gangs themselves, while the community dynamics and context are ignored.

Understanding the gang issue in the northern areas must take past and present community dynamics into account.

Residents often find themselves trapped in one of two situations: either they may be forced to help gangsters to evade the police, in exchange for some or other “service” that the gang may then provide, or they find themselves fleeing their own homes because of being brave enough to assist the police in their investigations. For many residents assisting the police is not even considered as a viable option as it can literally mean their deaths as well as the deaths of their family members.

My question is why is there no witness protection for those who, despite the obvious risks and threats, are still willing to come forward and assist the police? I would have thought that this would be a priority in communities affected by gangsterism.

If such protection does exist, to what extent are communities aware of this, and how safe can they be under this witness protection? Unfortunately the case of Olivier would suggest that either such protection does not exist or it is inadequate.

Either way the law enforcement authorities need to revisit this issue or run the risk of more and more potential witnesses choosing to look the other way for their own survival.

Dr Theodore Petrus, Port Elizabeth