Knife-weiding vagrants cause stir at voting station
Ward councillor Nicole Graham is calling on the IEC to make an alternate voting station available to the public after a dangerous brawl between vagrants had to be quashed by police outside the notorious Baxter Park.
AS President Jcob Zuma announced 7 May national elections date, South Africans countrywide made their way to voting stations for the last chance to register to vote over the weekend.
Glenwood’s, notorious Baxter Park was the scene of a violent brawl on Sunday afternoon while the final day of voter registration took place at the temporary voting station.
Ward councillor, Nicole Graham witnessed the incident. “It was a violent altercation outside the Baxter Park temporary voting station. Two men – one armed with a large knife and the other a broken bottle – accosted each other after throwing glass bottles between themselves merely five metres from the open voting tent.
“I have been asking Umbilo SAPS for more protection at the park the whole weekend. Every time they came past, I asked them for one officer to stay permanently and pointed out the drugs and public drinking taking place in the park,” said a frustrated Graham.
No arrests were made. Graham added that she had pointed out one of the men involved in the fight to a police officer earlier that morning. “He was carrying a broken bottle neck and drinking publicly but was merely asked to move away.
The fight was only broken up by a plain-clothes policeman who drew a firearm and forced the men onto the ground in front of a large crowd of voters and residents.
“When Umbilo SAPS arrived they merely threw the knife into a vehicle. One man was even allowed to stand on the back of a police bakkie un-cuffed as they drove off,” she added.
Meanwhile when Berea Mail visited the park later that afternoon, calm was restored. “Apart from the incident, everything is ok. Fortunately a police officer in plain clothes was registering to vote and stopped the fight lucky nobody was injured, ” said Ma Thusi, an IEC supervisor at the park.
Kim Coward said although he arrived after the incident, he did not feel comfortable about being at the park especially because the machine had broken down and he anticipated tempers flaring, so asked for a police presence.
“This park, and much of Glenwood, has become a haven for drugs, crime and public violence. The slackness of the many Umbilo SAPS officers who leave dangerous and drunk people loitering in our parks is concerning. Children, voters and the public should not have to witness violent brawls while attempting to vote because Umbilo SAPS fail to ensure their safety,” said Graham, adding that she would call on the IEC to consider alternative options for the dangerous Baxter Park voting station and will continue to work with various stakeholders to clean up the area. “I will also continue to pressure Umbilo SAPS into ensuring that community safety in the area is prioritised,” she said.
Berea Mail has asked the IEC to comment on the incident and if they would consider an alternate venue. Updates will follow once a response is received.
