Siyavuya Mzantsi
ABOUT 300 people took to the streets of Tafelsig in support of a People Against Gangsterism and Drugs’ (Pagad) march last night to draw attention to the problem of gangs and drug lords.
Tafelsig is one of several Mitchells Plain areas affected by the drug trade and gang rivalry.
Watched by a small army of police officers, the marchers chanted slogans against drugs and gangsterism as they made their way through Tafelsig.
“Gangsters are cowards and (drug) merchants are killers,” they chanted.
Pagad co-ordinator Haroon Orrie said: “The community should bring forward any information about people who are dealing with drugs.”
Pagad’s campaign against crime in the community would continue until gangsterism was eradicated, Orrie said.
Resident Mohamed Petersen said the people of Tafelsig had had enough of gangs.
“Tonight we are reclaiming our streets. We want to show the gangsters who shoot our innocent children that we are not scared of them and we’ll do anything to make sure this community is safe again.
“Over the past two years there have been continual gang shootings.”
Abdul Aziz Parker, a Pagad member who came from Bellville to show his support, said: “The sad thing about gangsterism is that innocent people get killed.”