Pagad motorcade offers gang-hit communities hope
PEOPLE Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad) held its annual motorcade yesterday, in the hope of motivating communities ravaged by gangsterism and drugs.
Pagad members and residents gathered at the Westgate Mall parking lot, Mitchells Plain, yesterday afternoon for a motorcade through Beacon Valley, Tafelsig and Eastridge.
Pagad national co-ordinator Haroon Orrie said the motorcade is an annual campaign, with the aim of instilling hope in communities filled with despair caused by gang-related activity.
“The message is that there is still hope; that our communities mustn’t lose hope and feel that there’s no hope for our children and societies. We believe that we want to give the people that hope again, that we can take back our streets and communities, and bring our communities back to a God-conscious community,” said Orrie.
About 25 to 30 vehicles took part in the motorcade.
“The aim of the motorcade was to create awareness, as we have our regular programmes, that Pagad is still very well active, and that we are there for our communities, and that we will assist our communities in eradicating gangsterism and drugs.”
Pagad national office member Abieda Roberts said the action was to send a stern message to drug dealers and gang members.
“It went very well, and we were happy with the outcome. We went through extremely gang-infested and drug-infested communities. Most of the community was very happy to see Pagad.
“We want to tell the community to take their streets back and remove those who are causing our children to become drug addicts. The children are lost. There’s nothing for them in our areas, no alternatives, just roaming the streets, that’s all they know.
“It doesn’t have to be that way. They need to take it into their own hands. The government is not interested in this community; they don’t care about the people any longer.”