By Lee-Yandra Paulsen
The Elsies River Community Police Forum (CPF) hosted a march in response to an increase in violent shootings, including the recent tragic death of a 24-year-old woman. CPF spokesperson, Imraahn Mukaddam, discussed the protests and the area’s crime issues Monday on VOC Breakfast.
“On Sunday, we organized a peace march in Leonsdale with about 100 participants, and the crowd grew as we walked through various townships,” Mukaddam said. “We passed spots where three young people were shot last Sunday and earlier in the week. The peace march was well-received by the community, and we sent a clear message to the perpetrators that we do not condone this ongoing violence. We hope they hear our calls for peace.”
Mukaddam pointed out the root causes of the crime surge: “There is an abundance of firearms, enabling young people to settle disputes violently. Additionally, we are facing an epidemic of cocaine being dumped into our Cape Flats communities. This leads to territorial disputes over drug sales. We need to understand why these expensive drugs are being sold so cheaply in our community.”
He also mentioned a disturbing incident involving an eight-year-old who came to school under the influence of drugs. Tests revealed the child had cocaine and two other drugs in their system. Mukaddam noted a correlation between the availability of such addictive substances and the rise in violence.
“Our biggest challenge is a lack of intelligence capacity,” Mukaddam explained. “Law enforcement needs more boots on the ground, but there is a clear lack of competence in this area. Despite several successful convictions, we need to do more to understand why Cape Town is such a lucrative market for drugs and guns.”
Mukaddam added, “There have been talks about organizing pickets at major traffic routes to raise awareness about the crime issues in our community.”
The CPF’s efforts, including the peace march and proposed pickets, aim to bring attention to the urgent need for better law enforcement and community solidarity in combating the rise in violence and drug-related crimes.
VOC News
Photo: Pixabay
