A 38-year-old policeman suffered head injuries after Manenberg residents pelted officers with stones as they tried to quell public violence following a fatal stabbing, say police.
The officers came under attack on Sunday as they responded to reports of stone-throwing after a 30-year-old man was fatally stabbed, allegedly by a rival 16-year-old gang member, said Manenberg police spokesman Captain Ian Bennett.
The two are believed to have argued following an all-night party in Storms River Walk
“The stone-throwing erupted after the news came that the man had died. When SAPS officers arrived at 9am to stop the stone throwing, the community turned on them and started pelting them with stones.”
A constable was struck by a chunk of concrete through the open window of a police vehicle and was rushed to hospital where he was treated and discharged the same day, according to Captain Bennett.
Shots had been fired as officers had dispersed the crowd, and an officer had pursued and arrested a 17-year-old found carrying a .38 Special revolver with five rounds of ammunition, said Captain Bennett.
“The community once again started to attack SAPS members to aid the escape of the 17 year old. The teenager belongs to a gang, and he was visiting the area from Eerste River.”
Manenberg police station commander Brigadier Sanele Zama called the community’s behaviour “appalling and worrying”.
“It seems like our community has been sucked into a dark hole of crime and corruption. The community’s violent attack on SAPS officers will not be tolerated. We will not stop fighting crime in Manenberg,” Brigadier Zama said.
Captain Bennett said: “It has become disgusting that the community complains about service delivery but has the audacity to attack the SAPS members in the execution of their operational duties while the rest of the community is silently watching.
“It seems as if we stand alone in trying to bring law and order to our area. Even those who are not directly involved with criminal activity have also become accomplices to stone throwing, violence among gangs and attacks on police by their silence.”
The 16-year-old wanted in connection with the murder of the man was later found admitted to Heideveld hospital with a broken arm, broken leg and several cracked ribs, said Captain Bennett.
“His fellow gang members apparently ‘dealt with him’ to avert rival gang conflict, which always has serious consequences for the community.”
Manenberg Community Police Forum chairperson Vernon Visagie said many of the stone throwers had been youths who had dropped out of school.
“We had such high hopes for them, as we, together with SAPS, have been hosting various programmes to help get them off the streets and back into school. Just last week, we had a soccer tournament for them.
“We have parents who reach out to us about their delinquent teenagers, but when SAPS takes action against their child, then they want to attack us. It’s a continuous to-and-fro. Some of these parents also encourage their children to throw stones. We seriously don’t know what to do anymore. The law must just take its course,” Mr Visagie said.
