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Gatvol Manenberg residents march on police station to demand action against gangs and drugs

Gatvol Manenberg residents march on police station to demand action against gangs and drugs
Residents who marched on the Manenberg police station on Saturday, 7 September 2024, say not enough is being done to address the scourge of violence and killings in the Cape Town suburb. In the first quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year, the police station ranked 20th nationally and sixth in the Western Cape for attempted murder, with 38 cases. (Photo: Brenton Geach / Gallo Images)
Residents’ unified call for peace and an end to gang violence echoed through the streets as they marched on 7 September to reclaim their community.

Residents of gang-plagued Cape Town suburb Manenberg marched to the local police station on Saturday, 7 September 2024, to demand action against rampant gangsterism and drug abuse within their community. 

Manenberg faces significant challenges, including gang violence and drug-related crimes. In the first quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year, the Manenberg police station ranked 20th nationally and sixth in the Western Cape for attempted murder, with 38 cases. For illegal firearm possession, it ranked eighth in the province with 24 cases reported, down from 65 the previous year.

‘Mothers are crying’


Manenberg protest Manenberg residents who marched on the local police station on Saturday, 7 September 2024, said they were unhappy there was no police visibility during the march. (Photo: Brenton Geach / Gallo Images)



Manemberg protests Residents who marched on the Manenberg police station on Saturday, 7 September 2024, say not enough is being done to address the scourge of violence and killings in the Cape Town suburb. In the first quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year, the police station ranked 20th nationally and sixth in the Western Cape for attempted murder, with 38 cases. (Photo: Brenton Geach / Gallo Images)



Ellaan Daniels (45), who was born and grew up in Manenberg, said on Saturday: “Our place is Manenberg and we as a community cannot even go to the shops or to our families. We want each and every gangster to become a normal resident of the Manenberg community. It’s our children that grew up here together that are shooting among each other, and mothers are crying.”

Resident Norman Matthys said the march had united the community. 

“We are tired of gang violence and drugs. As a community we are going to the police station to say that police need to come to do their work. When they [police] enter our houses they treat us as criminals and we are not criminals but residents of Manenberg … they must respect us.” 

Eva Sacy (62), who has lived in Manenberg for 30 years, said that this was not the first march to protest against crime. She said police were not doing enough for the community.

“How can a gangster have the last say? They are murderers and enough is enough. Sometimes police stand with their vans, and people are running around with guns and police are scared. Now why are they in these positions?”

No police visibility


During the march to the police station, there were no police to guard the residents, and marchers were not happy about this.

“There was supposed to be police visibility at 12 o’clock and they are not even here. We were there with the station commander saying that we need assistance and there is nobody. We know they are busy but we as a community need to stand together with the police and take our place back,” Daniels said.

Duwayne Jacobs, who represents the National Coloured Congress in the Western Cape provincial legislature, was there to support the Manenberg community march.  

“This march is to demonstrate to our community that if we stand together we can achieve remarkable things. We have the LEAP [Law Enforcement Advancement Programme], and we have drones but where is it when our people really need it? We are marching to highlight all the social ills that are happening in our community,” Jacobs said. DM

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