Ongoing gang violence in Manenberg and Heideveld raises concern

Residents in Manenberg and Heideveld have raised concerns about ongoing gang-related killings, which they say are becoming more frequent and random.

The community, which falls under the Manenberg police precinct, said the rise in shootings has created fear and uncertainty. Several people have recently been attacked, reportedly by gang members, with residents saying there appears to be no clear motive behind some of the incidents.

Some community members believe there is a lack of will from police to stop the violence.

However, police said the gang-related killings are not a new development.

“The hit-style murders and elimination of opposition gang members have been going on for some time,” police said.

They said recent weeks have seen a series of killings that appear to be part of a calculated effort to remove rival gang leaders.

Manenberg police spokesperson Captain Ian Bennett said the police would spare no effort in the war against crime.

He said the fights are about territory and conflict between other gangs that are coming up in the area.

“Manenberg, Surrey Estate, and Heideveld are part of the Manenberg policing precinct and are known as a gang station, as they would call it. Although the gang station has not flared up, there are constant shooting incidents. They are targeted murders, but some people are caught in the crossfire," he said, adding that reason for the flare-up was a murder in Heideveld of a man who had been gunned down and another shooting at the railway station.

"There was also a lady that was shot on the leg,” he said.

He said addressing gang activity in Manenberg remains a police priority. He added that the Public Order Policing (POPS) unit, the Anti-Gang Unit, and emergency services have been deployed, along with traffic officers and metro police.

,“We do have these operations which are intensified during peak periods of criminal activity. This is also how we break down crime,” he said.

Captain Bennett said it is challenging to respond to every murder and monitor all areas. He acknowledged that some locations are difficult to identify and reach.

He urged parents to take responsibility for their children and to be aware of where they are, who they are with, and what they are doing. He also warned parents against getting involved in "stone-throwing", saying they would be criminalising themselves by doing so.

“I know parents say they cannot do police work. But unfortunately, policing starts from home. Policing means that you can keep your child safe and give your child the necessary tools to make good decisions and not make decisions to throw stones and belong to a gang. We want them to take a stand against crimes in their areas," he said, adding that parents should know where their children are.

"Go to the teacher and ask about the progress of your child,” he said.

He said poverty played a role in it and encouraged the community not to "sell their souls" because of it.

He said the main gangs operating in the area are well-established. Larger gangs, he said, often recruit members from smaller ones, which leads to conflict.

He said that these same gangs are also responsible for recruiting school children into gangsterism. He called on women to stop defending their children involved in criminal activities and to stop looking down on one another.

Heideveld Community Policing Forum member Vanessa Adriaanse said there had been a flare-up of gang violence in Heideveld.

"There have been murders, but we can say they are gang-affiliated," she said, adding that it was difficult to say what the cause of the ongoing shootings and killings was.

"These shootings are because of one thing: gang-affiliated turf, making money, smuggling because you can't make too much money because it is all a competition. But we as a community suffer most,” she said.

Ms Adriaanse said the community is "gatvol" and is not happy.

“The community is fed up. The community needs to understand that we need to unite and stop these ongoing shootings. The solution is honesty first and partnership. We need to let go of the fear that we are not going to speak. The solution is that we, as a community, need to unite. Police and community stakeholders need to put this power fight to an end so we can win over the community,” she said.

Last week, Athlone News reported that four men- two aged 18, one 19, and one 21-year-old- were arrested in Jordan Street in Manenberg on Saturday, June 28, for murder ("Four men arrested for murder," Athlone News, Friday, July 4).

Captain Bennett told Athlone News that one of the victims was "viciously attacked" and left with fatal stab wounds to his face and head.

He was rushed to Heideveld Emergency Centre, where he died from his injuries before treatment. A case of murder was opened for investigation. The four men were arrested on the scene. The motive for the murder is still unknown.

Anyone with information can call Manenberg police on 021 699 9400 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.