Street committee chairperson Noluthando Lengisi has appealed to law enforcement agencies to work with them to defeat crime.
Image: Phiri Cawe
Law enforcements agencies attended the meeting to discuss crime in Gugulethu.
Image: Phiri Cawe
The community of Gugulethu met last Friday to discuss ways to fight crime in the area.
Image: Phiri Cawe
The community of Arron Qhusheka Street in NY95, Gugulethu, has urged residents to bring back the spirit of ubuntu and start joining forces in the fight against crime.
Instead of commemorating Human Rights Dayon Friday March 21, the residents met to discuss ways to tackle the escalating level crime in the street and surrounding areas.
The meeting was attended by members of community police forums, police, law enforcement police and neighbourhood watches.
Street committee chairperson Noluthando Lengisi described the crime in the area as “out of hand”.
She said the purpose of the meeting was to create awareness on crime trends, to consult with the community and address challenges raised.
“We have this park that has become a home of robberies. People are robbed here. Ubers are called here and robbed. School children are robbed of their laptops, shoes and other accessories here. It was for this reason that we called all the stakeholders to have a chat and get advice as to how to fight these crimes here. We have called the police to account and give us what they could. We are not safe and it is painful and sad. There is also a house that I cannot mention that hides these criminals.”
Ms Lengisi said poverty and unemployment also have a hand in crime. She said there are complex social issues that add to their challenges and called on parents to discipline their children and educate them about the dangers of crime.
She appealed to the police to monitor shebeens and taverns. “We are a target here maybe because of this open space. But I am tempted to say parents are also a cause. They know that their children are not working but come home with things. Parents need to stop defending their children who are committing crime. If they cannot discipline them, at least speak sense to them,” said Ms Lengisi.
She said they also have a problem of children from outside Gugulethu who come to the area to commit robberies.
Ms Lengisi said townships need rehabilitation centres.
Gugulethu police station commander Colonel Sotiso Mantyi responded by saying the solution to crime in Gugulethu lies with the community. He said unity is the solution.
Speaking about the types of crimes committed in Gugulethu, he said the main challenge is rape followed by other types of gender-based violence. Colonel Mantyi said these crimes often happened behind closed doors and police cannot help if they are not reported.
In both these types of crimes he blamed alcohol as the main perpetrator. “Rape is rife and it is not done by strangers to strangers but people who know each other. It is either an ex-boyfriend to an ex-girlfriend or ex-husband to ex-wife, same as gender-based violence, and we cannot police that.”
He said there are other crimes like robberies, extortion and murders that police are working to decrease. “The data does not give more about extortion for a reason we know. We had a bad experience when it comes to extortion. It is reported and the next day the (whistleblower) is killed. We could decrease murders and we are now drifting away as much as we are still number eight nationally,” he said.
Colonel Mantyi urged residents to have active street committees.
Local councillor Thembinkosi Mjuza said it was high time that people defended themselves from criminals. He said the community members and those who are in positions of leadership should have a vision. He called on the community to take ownership of their areas and streets.