Residents demand action after gang attacks
Residents were robbed of their possessions, which included cellular phones, laptops and jewellery in the early hours of the morning. Residents demanded that the matter be treated as a priority.
The Cleveland SAPS and the Cleveland Community Police Forum (CCPF) worked swiftly to calm furious residents in Malvern recently.
A group of residents marched to the Cleveland SAPS on December 16 demanding to know what police officers were doing to arrest members of the balaclava gang.
Members of the gang were targeting residents mainly living in backyard rooms, domestic accommodation and old flats.
“Residents were robbed of their possessions, which included cellular phones, laptops and jewellery in the early hours of the morning. Residents demanded that the matter be treated as a priority,” said Mr Godfrey Mothibe, the chairperson of the CCPF.
A public meeting was held on December 18. Angry residents told the SAPS and CCPF that they were not addressing crime in the suburb. “They said we were not considerate towards their safety on the streets in and around Malvern, rented backyard rooms and domestic accommodation. Young women were also being targeted as they are defenceless against these gangsters. Residents wanted to know what the SAPS and the CCPF was going to do to guarantee their safety,” said Mr Mothibe.
Prior to the community demanding action, the Cleveland SAPS said it was working around the clock to arrest members of the gang. Earlier this year, Constable Mpho Mashakane, the Cleveland SAPS communications officer, said some members of the gang were arrested.
Last week Const Mashakane said, “We made arrests before the residents came to us demanding action. But there are a lot of members in this gang. They keep recruiting more people. We have made more arrests and will continue to do so,” she said.
Mr Mothibe said officers are monitoring the area and the Cleveland SAPS is patrolling the suburb.
At a public meeting held, a decision was made to establish a block committee forum in sector 3 which includes Malvern. “We will soon deploy our street patrollers in the Cleveland SAPS precinct. Continuous public meetings will be held in all crime hotspots. We encourage members of the community to attend their sector meeting and the CCPF meeting every month. The Cleveland SAPS and forum works together to fight crime,” said Mr Mothibe.
The CCPF meets at the Cleveland SAPS at 6.30pm every first Tuesday of the month. Contact Mr Sipho Mthembu, the secretary, on 074 140 8286.
The Malvern Crime Sector Forum meets every first Saturday of the month at 11am in the NG Kerk in the suburb. Contact Mr Mike Spadino, the chairperson, on 061 721 7782.
“We appeal to members of the community to contact us and the SAPS patrol vans if in danger. In the case of an emergency, you can also call 10111,” said Mr Mothibe.
Mr Mothibe can be contacted on 082 871 3570. The vice chairperson of the CCPF, Mr Msindisi Vilakazi, can be contacted on 082 759 3801.
The Cleveland SAPS can also be contacted on 011 677-5745.
Const Mashakane also urged people to buy whistles. “If you are in danger and you blow on the whistle, someone may hear you,’ she said.
