Mothers whose children were killed in gang violence marched in Cape Town yesterday, demanding government get rid of skollies.
The women say the Department of Justice and SAPS should take action before more young lives are lost.
The group of about 40 wore red head bands at the picket, carrying placards that read “My son was murdered”, “Pain and trauma is our daily bread” and “Children are a gift from God; my gift was stolen”.
The group met on the Grand Parade and said a prayer before marching to Parliament.
The walk was also in remembrance of all the children who have lost their lives to gang violence.
March organiser, Avril Andrews, who is also the founder of the Alcardo Andrews Foundation, told the Daily Voice that the initiative was still young but they hope to reach out to more mothers who have lost their children in gang crossfire.
Avril lost her son Alcardo, 27, on October 28, when he was shot in Hanover Park.
The mom claims her son wasn’t a gangster, and that two men have been arrested for his murder.
“This march we are having is to highlight the pain we as parents feel when we lose our children. It is abnormal for children to be wiped out like this. It is not God’s plan for children to be killed like this,” she says.
“We are handing this memorandum over to the justice minister because we had enough of court cases dragging and many times the victims’ families are intimidated or nothing happens regarding the case.”
They also want government to clamp down on corruption within the police force, saying cops are colluding with gangs, and “many dockets disappear” before they can reach the courts.
The women marched from the Grand Parade down Darling Street into Adderley Street and stood before parliament where they waited for Minister Michael Masutha to receive their memorandum.
Instead, parliamentary worker Deon Delpoort came out to receive and sign the memorandum.
“We have no ministers here in Cape Town at the moment, they are all in Pretoria but I will make sure this memorandum gets to them,” Delpoort said.
Workers from The Trauma Centre in Woodstock also took details of mothers who have lost children and never received counselling for their loss.
You can contact the centre on 021 465 7373.