The community of Ikageng recently gathered at the Sarafina hall to pray against social ills like gangsterism, murder, domestic violence, rape, sexual offences and substance abuse.
Sello Cele, the chief community safety and liaison officer, said, ‘We have done everything possible to combat crime and we now have to seek God’s intervention.’
‘As young people, we are dying at an early age. The mistake we made was to chase God away from our schools. The people who are committing atrocities are the young people. Foreign nationals’ tuckshops were broken into recently. Those who broke into those tuckshops were not comrades but thugs,’ said Cele.
New gangs are mushrooming in Ikageng
Sgt Kelebogile Trom, the Ikageng SAPS spokesperson says Sector 3 has a high prevalence of rape. She added that gangsterism is rife and new gangs are mushrooming in Ikageng. ‘You’ll find 12-year-olds in primary schools with gang tattoos. The youth must not be involved in any criminal activities because they will not be able to get a job in the future if they have a criminal record. There is no such thing as petty crime,’ she said.
She also highlighted domestic violence as a serious issue in the community. She talked about the court case where Thamsanqa Voyi was sentenced to 25 years for murder and contravening a protection order.
‘Women should stop being punching bags,’ she said.
The J.B. Marks’ councillor, Jeanne Adriaanse, who has been involved with the community policing forum for eight years said: ‘We really need God’s intervention. Domestic violence, rape and assaults must stop. Drugs are killing our community.’
Are you willing, each one of you to stand up and say: I stand up for Jesus? Are you ready? she asked.
Pastor Mofokeng said all pastors need to ask God to intervene. ‘We need God to start operating in Ext. 11. Spiritually, we need to pray. People say they are free but demons are taking over their lives. The police cannot solve all the issues.’
I turned to gangs to make a living
The same day also saw some youngsters leaving their gangster lifestyles. One of them, Boy William Ngcebesha (29) says he came to the prayer service to seek help and make something of himself in the community.
‘I grew up in a life of poverty and my parents passed away when I was still a teenager. I was left with my five siblings and we had no income. Our aunt tried to assist us. Because of poverty, some of my siblings decided to live with their boyfriends. I turned to gangs to make a living. I mugged people and took their money and resorted to burglary. I have four children with different mothers. I want a better life for me and my children,’ he said.
