March against crime

COMMUNITIES are urged to join the march against crime on Saturday 12 July from King Dinizulu (Botha) Park to the Durban City Hall. The march will set off at 10am.

The Umbilo CPF calls on all concerned communities across Durban who are affected by crime to rise up and demand the South African government takes conclusive action.

“The Umbilo CPF is calling on authorities to take immediate action as the situation is out of control,” said chairperson, Ben Madokwe.

He said the CPF will hand over a memorandum to the Mayor of eThekwini municipality at noon.

In the memorandum, the CPF has highlighted the need for short term solutions to the problem of vagrants and whoonga addicts living in the park and suburbs.

“The government needs to identify a controlled space for the park dwellers and within seven days we will request feedback on how the municipality plans on dealing with this problem, and which space has been found for them outside the CBD and away from the suburbs. We will urge the municipality to create a temporary shelter for these people,” he said.

Madokwe said the homeless and those addicted to whoonga were the root of social problems within the community. He said the municipality was taking too long to find solutions, and in the meantime those in the process of being rehabilitated were turning to crime. He said the homeless also had to be helped before they turned to whoonga too.,ment is taking too long to act, they are becoming desperate and are losing hope,” he said.

The CPF is partnering with different organisations and stakeholders in the community in this fight against crime and the scourge of drugs.

According to Heather Rorick from the Bulwer Community Safety Forum, the government needed to address the problem that there was a shortage of rehabilitation centres.

“We only have one goverment rehab facility and it cannot deal with this situation. The government needs to utilise staff and rope people in to get involved. People like SANCA,” she said, adding there was space in government hospitals for rehab facilities. This is a complex issue and all people need to get involved, including community groups, as it is affecting everyone now,” she said.

She said the community was asking where those who had been chased from King Kinuzulu Park and Albert Park had moved on to. “Government needs to look at this problem urgently. We don’t have time, this needs to be prioritised as an emergency,” she said.

“The community’s attendance at the march is vitally important. This will be a peaceful march involving our stakeholders, business people and community groups. We need to unite over this issue,” said Madokwe.

Those who join the march are advised parking will be available at DUT’s Ritson campus, Winterton Walk, although they are urged to preferably be dropped off and fetched from the park. There will be a bus to take people back to the parking lot from Durban City Hall.

The group will meet on the west side of the park at 9am.

Contact Ben Madokwe on 073 395 3257.