DURBAN - CONCERNED residents in Sydenham say they are fed up with what they believe to be drug-related shootings in the area, and want a stronger police presence.
They held a meeting last Thursday in Butcher Road, following the murder of 17-year-old Jarell Somana.
Police have since arrested two suspects for the boy’s murder last Sunday.
Ward councillor Remona Mckenzie said residents were living in fear and wanted a stronger police presence.
Mckenzie said that Butcher Road residents were concerned after Jarell’s murder. Gunmen chased him down the road in broad daylight and gunned him down.
“Residents are anxious. They want the selling of drugs in Sydenham to stop, and they want to take back their community. They are concerned that innocent people will be hurt in the drug-related violence.”
Mckenzie added that residents of Butcher Road also wanted to put in traffic-monitoring boom gates.
“Residents say that they want to have a boom gate at both ends of the road to control who enters. They are appealing to police to have a stronger police presence to end the scourge of drugs in the Sydenham area.”
A resident of Sydenham, who spoke to The Mercury on condition of anonymity, said that the area was a good place and it was youngsters selling drugs that led to these shootings.
“Some of the youngsters don’t even live in Butcher Road or Sydenham but they are coming to our area and selling drugs. It’s giving Butcher Road a bad name and we as residents are fed up. We want an end to the selling of drugs so that there won’t be any more lives lost, and there will be peace in this area.”
The resident added they are concerned that innocent people would be hurt in the ongoing fighting between drug gangs.
“The guys who were shooting at Jarell nearly shot one of the residents. We are concerned, we have small children playing in the road. They could be caught in the crossfire between the drug gangs.”
The resident said parents needed to take responsibility for their children.
“There are parents in the area who know that their children are selling drugs and they just don’t want to listen.”
The resident added that if something was not done, there would be more deaths.
“We badly need a bigger police presence. We as residents feel that the police are not doing enough to end the selling of drugs in our community. We need police patrols to stop the selling of drugs. That is the only way the violence is going to stop.
“If something isn’t done urgently, we are going to hear of another murder because of the drug wars in Sydenham. I wish that the youngsters could understand what they are doing is wrong. They are killing each other over drugs, but the druglords are the ones reaping the benefits.”
THE MERCURY