Captain Ian Bennett, Manenberg SAPS
More than a thousand people gathered to March for Hope, protesting against criminal behaviour, gender-based violence and the destruction of community moral fibre, on Palm Sunday, March 24.
Manenberg SAPS, including the Community Police Forum (CPF), Spiritual Social Crime Prevention, and all community role players stood as a single force speaking against gang violence and all social ills that plague our community.
The local church community with all SAPS role-players gathered at the Manenberg police station where the community was lead by Colonel Hermanus, into the troubled gang areas.
Gang hotspots were identified in Heideveld and the religious fraternity joined hands with SAPS, to speak to the community addressing the lack of spirituality that has lead to the demise of morals within the community. The demise of morals has lead the youth on a path of destruction, destroying human values.
Heideveld, the time has come for change. The community needs to stand up and stand together to ensure the safety of our women and children and the most vulnerable.
Our communities have suffered the hardship of the loss of too many young people. The communities are now experiencing so much trauma that they are experiencing Stockholm syndrome. This is where communities are part of the problem and cannot find the solution to address the challenges they face.
The spiritual fraternity plays a vital role in moral regeneration.
The event has been seen as a success as many of the communities that the procession passed through responded positively.
We have now reached a point where communities need to see that they need to play an active role in reporting crime.
SAPS seems to fight a lonely battle because the good people of the Manenberg policing precinct have done nothing and became silent.
Anyone with information or suggestions to effectively fight the moral decay, can contact Colonel Hermanus at 082 411 3149.
