Manenberg street guards
|Published
DETERMINED: Manenberg moms and dads patrol Ruimte Road precinct early each day. Picture.Monique Duval DETERMINED: Manenberg moms and dads patrol Ruimte Road precinct early each day. Picture.Monique Duval
A goup of determined Manenberg parents are sacrificing their sleep to keep their community safe as they patrol the streets from as early as 4am.
In recent weeks, the Letaba Community Watch has revived their neighbourhood watch in the Ruimte Road precinct in an attempt to take back their streets from skollies and skelms preying on commuters and school children.
Watch member, Elizabeth Hendricks, says heartless skollies steal valuables from those walking to bus and taxi stops, so they decided to stand up and take action.
“We started a few weeks ago to help curb these robberies and some members in their 60s are standing alone in the dark from as early as 4am to make sure people are safe,” she says.
“The robberies in this area around Ruimte Road are hotspots and they use firearms, knives and even plastic guns to threaten people.
DETERMINED: Manenberg moms and dads patrol Ruimte Road precinct early each day. Picture.Monique Duval
“In some cases, they even attack the victims. So we patrol every day in the morning and at night to help curb these robberies.”
Dad, Patrick Clark, 56, says high school kids are seen as soft targets for their cellphones.
“They are targeted because of their phones. As a father I believe we must do something and you can see the difference (we are making),” he says.
“Children are playing again and I support this initiative.”
Hendricks says the group, which currently consists of 30 parents, was recently boosted by a group of young people who have joined the watch.
ACTION: Elizabeth Hendricks on patrol. Picture: Monique Duval
“They are in their 20s and it is nice to see the youth coming to support us. Ons is mos oud,” she says.
But while they enjoy volunteering and doing their bit for their community, they are in need of various items for their patrols.
Hendricks explains: “We had some jackets, but not everyone has a jacket. We have registered the watch now and are appealing for help with torches and radios so we can make our patrols more effective.”
Anyone who would like to assist the group can call Mustapha on 064 260 5673.