PAGAD-led march follows deadly gang shootings in Athlone

PAGAD and residents of Belgravia in Athlone took to the streets and faced off with police in a protest against escalating gang violence plaguing their community. 

On Sunday afternoon, a large police contingent watched over a march held by People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (PAGAD).

One resident told IOL Media: “We have had enough. We need to take our streets back. You hear shootings daily. Innocent people are dying everyday in this area.”

In recent weeks, an ongoing conflict between the Fancy Boys and JFK gangs has seen affiliates gunned down and innocent community members killed in crossfire or by stray bullets

Last week, on 5 October, a Junky Funky Kids (JFK) gang member was gunned down outside Heatherdale Primary School after dropping off his child.

On Saturday, in Voel Street, Belgravia, a 65-year-old woman and a man were killed, while another man was wounded.

No one is safe

Not even children attending places of worship are safe. 

Mobeen Alexander, Imam and Principal of the Belgravia Masjid and Madrassa said it was concerning that incidents of people getting shot at have been growing in their area. 

Before the marcher moved on from their gathering, Alexander addressed them, saying: “We have a lot of kids from the Vlei informal settlement who attend our Madrassa. We are very concerned that for the first time in 38 years, the Madrassa had to be closed due to shootings in the community. 

“Last week, an elderly woman was killed in the area during a shooting between gang rivals in the Vlei area. It is very important that we come together as this community regardless of our different beliefs.”

A cry for help

PAGAD Secretary Zahrah Kriel told IOL Media that crime in Belgravia has been an ongoing thing for years, but it has escalated because people are afraid to confront criminals.

She explained: “We came here because of the call from the community. They called us because of the shootings, drugs and cable theft that is going on. 

“Somebody got shot in this area recently, as they were dropping off a child at school. Last night, somebody was killed here, that is what prompted us to come.

“Gangsters know that people are fearful, so they do what they want to do. They know they can steal cars, and go inside people's houses to rob them.”

She said before the march, there was a group of community members that called them into a meeting and gave them addresses of houses where they suspected drugs were sold. 

Kriel added: “But, it was hard to get inside these few addresses because people are afraid of coming upfront.”

No justice, no peace

In the presence of a large police contingent, she said that people have lost faith in the police, because they don't respond with urgency when people report crime. 

PAGAD executive member Cassiem Parker ordered everyone who was wearing masks to remove them. 

“If we have one person who is threatened because they attended this march, we will come for you. We will go through these roads and we are asking people for discipline,” he said to the march. 

Outside, they chanted slogans, like, "one fancy boy, one bullet". 

Frustrated residents faced off with police, and shouted that police were not present when killings were happening in the area but were seen during the march on Sunday. 

No backing down

During the march, a standoff between the police and community members of a pocket informal settlement called The Vlei, ensued. 

This was after the marchers approached a house suspected to belong to the Fancy Boys.

Loetfie Salie, who has been a resident of Belgravia for 45 years, added: “We're not doing this for ourselves anymore; It's for our kids and our grandchildren. 

“We cannot allow criminals to have the freedom of our streets. There is an ongoing killing of innocent people here mostly. We need peace in our streets, our children can't play freely on the road.”