March highlights community dangers
FOR GUGULETHU resident and Asijiki Neighbourhood Watch secretary Siyabonga Ngete the march by local businesses, inter-faith religious leaders and NGOs to their local police station was to highlight the dangers that community workers, women and children face daily.
The 35-year-old had a narrow escape when he was recently shot at a function in the area after he saw a suspicious vehicle and called the police about it on October 6.
“Our group was there to ensure the event ran smoothly with no incidents. Then I was alerted to men in a silver Polo who looked suspicious. I called the police. While still waiting for the police, when I turned back, I just heard a gunshot,” he said.
“I didn’t feel the bullet when it hit me so I only knew I was shot when I felt weak and fell down. The doctors told me I was lucky the bullet didn’t hit the spine.”
His colleague, Luvuyo Ngxukuma, 42, was shot eight times at the same function after he came back from the hospital to which Ngete had been transported.
Ngete, who is now using a walking stick, said the problem was that there were many guns on the streets and the patrol group could not rely on the training they received in 2013 when it was established.
“We also don’t have any weapons to defend ourselves. We were just given these cards that we carry around our necks and the bibs for people to be able to identify us,” he said.
The neighbourhood watch had asked for bulletproof vests and for police to not sideline them but to work together to safeguard the community.
During yesterday’s march, the busy local mall and shops were shut down.
Advocacy group Ilitha Labantu community liaison officer Ludwe Nkomo urged residents to take a stand against the scourge of violence against women and children.
“Taking a stand all begins at home when a person reports their partner or a family member who has raped or molested a child. Then it moves to the community where a neighbour doesn’t turn his or her back when women or children are being abused,” said Nkomo.
Gugulethu police station official Bertie Brink accepted the memorandum of grievances calling for the station to have a proper system to deal with gender-based violence cases.