Siyavuya Mzantsi
WITH gang activities increasing in Bonteheuwel, religious leaders sang from the same hymn sheet in calling for an end to gang violence on the Cape Flats during an interfaith prayer service at the Bonteheuwel community centre yesterday.
The Bonteheuwel Joint Peace Forum organised the annual gathering after it noted a rise in gang activity in the area.
The forum’s Judy Kennedy said several people had been shot dead during suspected gang fights in recent weeks.
She said the event had also been organised to discuss being “blatantly disrespected” by the City when it “did not consult residents about providing electric street poles for backyard dwellers”.
Kennedy said the religious community in Bonteheuwel needed to play a bigger role to stop what was happening in this area.
She said the interfaith service was to pray about issues such as poverty and rain. She said it was much needed.
The Rev Keith Vermeulen said it was extremely important to have the interfaith services as they allowed people from different religious groups to come together to pray.
“The mayor has refused to engage (with) the Joint Peace Forum on its request to erect poles around the area. My understanding is that poles were supposed to be prepaid electric poles. They just defaced the area.
“There was no public participation as defined by the constitution. When they wanted to speak with the mayor, there was a breakdown in their relationship,” he said.
Yesterday, St George’s Cathedral dean, the Rev Michael Weeder, expressed deep concern about the safety of residents on the Cape Flats.
“Our primary concern as a church is the critical nature of people’s lives here and the intensification of crime. It’s our roles as members of churches to be part of the broader community,” he said.
Representatives from the Co-operative and Traditional Affairs Ministry also attended the service.
An 18-year-old was shot and killed in Manenberg yesterday.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said circumstances surrounding the murder of the man in Humber Street, Manenberg, were under investigation.
He said a murder case had been opened and no arrests had been made.
Meanwhile, police are investigating the murder of a 37-year-old man on the corner of Annamarie and Morgenster roads, Mitchells Plain, yesterday morning. No one had been arrested.
A 28-year-old man was shot dead and four others wounded during a suspected gang shooting in Retreat on Saturday.
Van Wyk said the injured, aged between 25 and 37, were taken to hospital for treatment.
Anyone with information is requested to contact CrimeStop at 08600 10111 or send an SMS to Crime Line at 32211.
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