Cape Town - Manenberg police came under attack by residents while raiding the house of an alleged drug merchant and member of the Hard Livings gang.
Shortly after 1pm on Wednesday, residents living in Dina Court pelted police with stones and damaged two police vehicles as they arrested the man for possession of tik worth R5 000.
According to a source, the man is a main member in the Hard Livings and is considered “one of the gang’s leaders” in Manenberg.
Brigadier Enolium Joseph says the raid was part of ongoing operations to combat gang violence and the drug trade.
“As part of the operation, officers searched the home of the 26-year-old man in Dina Court where they found him in possession of 59 packets of tik with an estimated street value of R5 000,” he explains.
“As the officers brought him out of the house, they were stoned by the community who demanded he be released.
“This is a disgusting response from a community riddled with crime and demands crime prevention.”
Joseph says the alleged drug dealer is also wanted on an attempted rape case, although details of this incident was not revealed.
“What made the situation even worse was that the suspect is also wanted for a sexual crime.
“This violent action by the community towards Law Enforcement will not be tolerated and residents involved will be dealt with.
“Two police vehicles were damaged in the stoning, but the officers were not hurt.
“Then the community complains of inefficiency and the lack of resources, but we see a community wanting to destroy the current resources. There can be no rational excuse for this action.”
A mother in the court, who asked not to be named, says the people who attacked police are dealing with the gangsters.
“It was not everyone, it was only some people and that is because their children buy drugs from the gangsters and the parents make loans by the HLs.
“They smokkel with the gangs and then they go on so when the police come. Some of us are honest, working people, it’s not all of us.”
She adds some of the attackers are not from Dina Court, but came to “protect their turf”.
After the attack, police continued their operation and arrested two more suspects with drugs.
In Renoster Road, they caught a 19-year-old man with 61 units of tik and they also arrested a 24-year-old man in Towerkop Road who was found with 31 units of ungah, three units of tik, two mandrax tablets and five sticks of dagga.
“All three of these males are affiliated to the Hard Livings gang and will appear in the Athlone Magistrates’ Court [today] on charges of possession and drug dealing,” Joseph adds.