Cape Town – Langa police and the Community Policing Forum (CPF) have called for parents to take responsibility for their children's safety as the festive season is approaching and schools will be closing.
Three teenagers between the ages of 17 and 18 died after being stabbed last week at a street bash in the township. A candlelight memorial service was held at the weekend.
Phumelela Renene, Yanga Soga and Hlomla Njokweni died after they allegedly got into a brawl.
According to Langa police station commander Diedre Engelbrecht, the incident started at Camps Bay beach, where the teenagers were chased away by law enforcement officers, and escalated in Langa after they were also chased away at the Grand Parade.
Engelbrecht said three murder cases were opened and in one case two suspects, 17 and 19, were arrested. More arrests were imminent.
“We also used the memorial services to make parents aware that they have the responsibility to know their kids’ whereabouts.
“We are planning on monthly awareness campaigns, the next one on gender-based violence. We are also addressing the shebeens that are opened on the weekends and making more arrests on that,” she said.
CPF chairperson Zanele Mbizela said the incident had sent shock waves through the township and had prompted the community to prioritise the safety of children during non-school periods as well as playing an active role in the community.
“As parents, we should be concerned when these kinds of incidents happen, where children as young as 10 years old hold street parties, consuming alcohol. When a child is away from home for more than three hours parents should be concerned,” she said.
“Street committees should take charge of what is happening on their streets and enforce order within the confines of the law,” she said.
Mbizela said the CPF was working on programmes to ensure that the youth were informed and empowered during the festive season.
Cape Argus