COPS have vowed to bring Vrygrond violence under control after meeting with gatvol residents yesterday.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) held a crime prevention imbizo to strengthen the relationship between cops and the community at the Ithemba Primary School in Muizenberg as mense are targeted by extortionist and live in constant fear of gang shootings.
Last Friday, three people were shot and two killed in Vrygrond, including a police officer who was on his way to report for duty at Wynberg SAPS.
Ward councillor Mandy Marr said that they have a crisis in Vrygrond and called for additional resources on the ground.
Police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut said that they want to know how the community feels about policing in the Muizenberg area.
Traut explains: “We came to the Vrygrond community and broader Muizenberg community to engage with the community. We want to know what is on their hearts, we take note of that and we will go back to the drawing board and relook at policing in this area.
“Every concern and comment raised by the community will be recorded and we will use that in our endeavors to improve policing – not only in Muizenberg but all the other areas when we have these community engagements.”
However, some residents felt that the imbizo was a waste of time and did not hold back when it came to voicing their concerns regarding the “poor” service they receive from SAPS.
Some of the concerns raised were the state of the police station and lack of staff, cases being closed without proper investigation, difficulty opening cases, a lack of support for community structures and no trust in SAPS.
Karen Mentoor from Overcome Heights said that attending an Imbizo every time is not working because nothing is being done.
She says: “I think they must bring the army in because it is a crisis here and we live in a red zone. On a daily basis you need to watch everyone because the guys are just walking open with guns and at any time a car can drive by and start shooting.
“It is the community’s lives who are in danger because they shoot anyone whether you are a gangster or not.
“They need to get the police in order because we can't have a police who is working for the other side [criminals] and not for the police station and not for the community.”
Ellen Hendricks, 70, from Seawinds said that she was beaten by a gang member and nothing happened.
She explains: “Seawinds is not safe. We live in fear as a community. I don’t think this Imbizo is going to help, there have been previous imbizos and nothing changed.”