Residents of Manenberg took to the streets to air their frustrations and claim back their community from gangs who are terrorising them.
Hundreds of community members joined hands on Saturday and marched to gang hotspots in the area, calling out skollies and chasing the youth away from areas often targeted when fights break out.
A community crime activist who asked to remain anonymous due to operational reasons says mense are gatvol of skollies keeping them prisoners in their own homes and making it dangerous to even go to the winkel.
“This has been coming on since the beginning of the year, we had incidents of stone throwing, threats and intimidation to mothers in the area and to the mosque.
“There was drug dealing in Torrid and Jupiter streets, break-ins and also the damaging of community members cars and homes.
“That is why we decided to mobilise, to take back our street and not allow it to be overrun by criminal elements.
“It was also decided to do a daily clean up of the well known hotshots like shop stoepe and so onwards.”
The activist pleaded to parents to talk to their children.
“Do not allow them to sit on corners where they can be influenced by criminal elements. If your child is using drugs, seek help immediately.
“If someone reaches out to you at your home informing you of your child’s public behaviour, please accept it as a kind word of advice. Your child is our child and we want the best for our children.”
Manenberg Community Policing Forum chairperson Vanessa Adriaanse says the CPF applauds the initiative and will lend their support where they can.