Cape Town mayor Helen Zille joined an anti-crime cavalcade through the streets of Mitchell’s Plain on Sunday and urged people to take back the streets.
Zille said she felt privileged to join the symbolic stance against what she called a ”terrible” and ”brutal” wave of violence sweeping the country, particularly the Western Cape.
She was part of a group — including the family of slain baby Jordan Leigh Norton, and Shakira, the mother of five-year-old Rafiek Hardien, whose lifeless body was found in the bush — on board a bus spreading the anti-crime mantra.
The open-air bus was adorned with a huge ”stop the killings please” poster.
Rosario Brown, organiser of the anti-murder campaign, said the main objective was to highlight the ”massive incidence” of violent crime in the province and the city.
”We call on the people not to by intimidated, to come out of their locked doors, work with the police and stop shielding those known killers in the community.”
Brown emphasised that Sunday’s event was not aligned to any political party, an assertion supported by Zille.
However, this did not stop her from scoring political points by handing out loaves of bread in Tafelsig, where her party, the Democratic Alliance, was contesting a forthcoming by-election against the Independent Democrats.
A vehicle emblazoned with ID posters and paraphernalia was seen belatedly joining the convoy. Brown said Western Cape premier, Ebrahim Rasool, and Community Safety MEC, Leonard Ramatlakane were invited. Both declined, but sent messages of support, as did Essop Pahad, Minister in the Office of the President.
Ivan Waldeck, a reformed gangster currently studying law, said the youth of today needed to realise that ”they can grow up in communities where their dreams can be fulfilled”.
He said there were countless Benny McCarthy’s to be found in the violence-torn communities of the Cape Flats.
”Where they cannot make their dreams and goals, because of the guns, drugs and gangsterism, being held hostage by a minority group of people who want to control our communities,” Waldeck said. – Sapa