Cape Town - Mitchells Plain residents concerned about the deteriorating state of their town centre have called for a 24/7 satellite law enforcement unit to be set up in the middle of the business precinct.
The residents say their town centre has been taken over by “foreigners” who infiltrated the area by dealing in drugs and have turned it into a place where young and drug-addicted girls are being prostituted.
Complicit drug trafficking and prostitution had allegedly become regular occurrences in the centre, with rotten fruit and waste lying around and a pervasive stench of urine.
They said these things occurred while security guards paid by the City stand around “sleeping with open eyes” – and despite a police station being opposite the centre. They also alleged that ward councillor Solomon Philander refused to meet with the concerned residents.
In November 2020, Mitchells Plain traders marched to the City over the “intolerable” conditions in the town centre.
In response, Philander said he was in constant contact with community groups in Mitchells Plain and had responded to questions about criminal activities in the Town Centre.
“Every Tuesday the CID, PTI associations, SAPS and City Enforcement meet to discuss strategies of addressing criminal activities in the Town Centre. In addition, security guards have been deployed to support the, SAPS who remain the primary law enforcement agency,” he said.
Cape Coloured Congress steering committee chairperson Morris Saman said when the town centre opened in the late 1970s it was the pride of the community and what has now become of it was sad.
“The centre was a beautiful place to visit but has over the years become a den of iniquity. These drug dealers have fronting businesses in the form of salons and stalls. They are also living on the premises.
“The town centre is zoned for business, not for residential, and the City and police are aware of it but turning a blind eye to all of this criminality.
“As a community, we are willing to play our part but can’t do it without the backup of SAPS and law enforcement. Our people are as complicit while our ward councillor is not interested in solving the scourge,” he said.
Law enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason said the department was currently unable to establish a 24-hour satellite station in Town Centre due to limited resources.