Mariannhill crime march fizzles out
Organiser of the march said they wanted to raise their grievances about the increasing crime in the area.
A MARCH, which was organised for residents to convey their grievances and to cry out about the murders in the Mariannhill area on Sunday, February 19, was futile as very few people showed up at the meeting point.
The peaceful march was meant to start from the Mariannridge Swimming Pool and end at the Mariannhill Police Station.
The Highway Mail arrived at the police station to find police and security personnel in vans who’d come out to be on guard. After an hour of waiting, they left to continue their day’s work.
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Organiser Roxanne Pennington, Patriotic Alliance leader, said the march was unsuccessful because of the extremely poor turnout.
She said the residents’ grievances are due to service-delivery issues with the police as well as the ward councillor.
“There are never vehicles when they are needed most, or we are told they are understaffed.
“We are tired of the gunshots, murders and break-ins, which is the reason we want them to step up,” she said.
Recently, five people were killed by three gunmen, while two others were injured in separate crimes scenes in the area on the same day.
According to information from the police, the suspects stormed into a vehicle workshop and shot the owner and two other people.
“The owner and one person were declared dead at the scene, whereas the third victim was rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds.
“The same suspects reportedly proceeded to another vehicle workshop, just two streets away, and shot and killed the owner and two other people who were working at the workshop. Three of the deceased are in their 50s, and the other two are reported to be in their late 30s,” said KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda.
Mariannhill SAPS did not comment about the crime situation in the area by the time of going to print.
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