Cape Town - Manenberg residents described on Thursday how metro police fled when a man running from hordes of alleged gangsters begged for help.
Manenberg Safety Forum chairperson Roegshanda Pascoe said alleged Hard Livings gangster Angelo Davids was killed on Wednesday, allegedly by more than 100 American, Clever Kids and Dixie Boys gangsters.
Within two hours, SAPS and metro police arrested three people, and confiscated six firearms and live ammunition in separate incidents in Manenberg.
Residents said on Thursday Davids realised he was in danger when a gang leader yelled, “Maak hom vrek” (kill him). It is alleged that Davids was responsible for the killing of another gang member earlier in the week.
People said as Davids ran towards a metro police patrol car for help, the officers locked their doors and sped off, leaving Davids to fend for himself.
Pascoe said she and many others, including young children, looked on powerlessly as stones and weapons were used to brutally kill Davids.
His mother, Dianne Davids, said she went with him to hospital, but knew he was too far gone. “I don’t blame people for not helping as their lives would also have been in danger,” she said.
Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said investigations were under way.
“Our vehicles have tracking units and our special investigations unit is looking into the incident. We are affecting change in gang areas at a fraction of the cost and manpower of police,” said Smith.
He said metro police had done exceptional work in the last two years to stabilise the area, but cannot take the role of the SAPS.
On Thursday, there was an eerie silence in the usually busy outlying Manenberg streets. But in Pecos Way, where Davids was murdered, crowds of people were gathered, discussing the murder and what they say is an impending all-out gang war.
Many children were kept out of school and little boys were playing with toy guns, casually taking aim at targets, some of them adults.
Groups of men gathered on street corners, watching people’s movements. In the streets people, mostly women, were venting their anger and frustration that nothing could stop the war, that the government was not interested in helping Manenberg, and that they would all end up dead.
Pascoe said his murder was in retaliation for an American gang member killed earlier in the week. “Police know who gave the order and nothing will happen. That’s what the government want - for our people to wipe each other out.”
Residents said they feared what the next few days would bring because they heard gangsters were preparing for war.
Of the three arrested on Wednesday, one is a 35-year-old man who was caught by the metro police gang unit.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said metro police were patrolling the N2 when they received information regarding a white Toyota Tazz with illegal firearms.
Metro police members spotted the vehicle on the off-ramp at Duinefontein Road in the direction of Manenberg. They pulled over the vehicle and as they approached, they saw the driver throwing a bag under the car. They checked the bag and found four 9mm pistols with 40 rounds of ammunition.
All the firearms had their serial numbers removed. The 35-year-old man was arrested for the possession of illegal and unlicensed firearms and ammunition, and an additional charge of possession of a prohibited firearm will be added.
The arrested men will appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on charges including possession of prohibited firearms.
Van Wyk said the SAPS and their partners in the city police work hard to prevent illegal firearms from being used in the commission of crime. He said a murder investigation was under way and no arrests had been made.
Anyone with information can contact police on 021 699 9400 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
Cape Times