By Anita Dangazele
Hundreds of Nelson Mandela Bay residents gathered at the Lilian Ngoyi community hall in Gqeberha on Thursday to discuss crime-fighting strategies.
They called for a total shutdown of the city on Monday to demand the army be brought in to fight lawlessness.
Violent crimes ranging from murder to kidnapping have plagued Nelson Mandela Bay in recent months.
The community meeting was attended by deputy mayor Babalwa Lobishe, ward 19 councillor Gamalihleli Maqula, the district directors of education and health, and police officials, including metro police and community policing forums.
Maqula said people no longer feel safe because criminals target families who are bereaved because they want their insurance money.
He said development is at a standstill in townships across the metro because criminals demand protection fees from developers, and even clinics and schools aren’t safe.
Due to safety concerns, the Eastern Cape health department closed the Kwazakhele clinic earlier this week.
“Today, Joe Slovo clinic is closed because of protection fees,” Maqula said.
“I wrote to the president and the [Eastern Cape] premier’s office to declare Nelson Mandela Bay a disaster area so that they can send soldiers. Community policing forums cannot do this on their own; we need national intervention.
“We also want to get the taxi industry involved because people also get robbed by taxis.”
Maqula was recently kidnapped, stuffed in the boot of his car and made to withdraw cash from his bank accounts before being shot and left for dead.
He said police classified his case as high-profile, yet eight days later, he still has not heard from the investigating officer.
“If this is happening to me, how much more to ordinary members of the community?”
Community activist Pamela Mabini called for the police minister to deploy KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkwanazi to Gqeberha.
“Why can’t the minister deploy Nhlanhla Mkwanazi to the city, even if it’s just for three months? We’re not undermining the current commissioner, but we’ve seen what [Mkwanazi’s] doing in KZN; we need that. We also need soldiers to patrol our streets,” Mabini said.
Another resident, Mbuyiseli Mdabe, called for a total shutdown of the city.
“We call on everyone – churches, schools, clinics and councillors – to shut down the city and demand that the army be brought in to fight crime. We should give the police seven days to do this.”
Residents agreed on a shutdown on Monday and that the march should include residents from all Nelson Mandela Bay townships.
Deputy mayor Babalwa Lobishe said they fully supported Monday’s march but asked that schools and clinics remain open.
Pictured above: NMB deputy mayor Babalwa Lobishe, Ward 19’s Gamalihleli Maqula and other stakeholders chaired the well-attended meeting.
Source: Anita Dangazele
