‘Miracle of transformation’ in gang-ridden Bonteheuwel

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Cape Town - Bonteheuwel has marked 100 days after the deployment of 100 law enforcement officers to the area. Ward councillor Angus McKenzie said: “A community once held hostage by gangsters and gang activity, and crippled with fear by the sound of bullets ringing all day, every day has seen and experienced a miracle of transformation.” He said places of worship were functioning, businesses were thriving and children were walking freely to school and back. McKenzie said credit must go to the thousands of positive people of Bonteheuwel who believed real change was possible. He said the efforts of residents and police had resulted in the reduction of murders to next to nothing. More than 900 homes and 8641 individuals have been searched, 547 fines issued and 110 people arrested.

However, Bonteheuwel community activist Henriette Abrahams said the officers had not really had much of an effect: “Even though we have seen a decrease in our murder rate in our area, we still have a situation where we find a displacement of crime”.

Abrahams said there had been an increase in robberies, smash-and-grabs at traffic intersections, and knife attacks rather than shootings.

“The officers are also not as visible as they were during July after their deployment,” Abrahams said.

She added: “These people work office hours and have a few operations over mainly weekends, but not in the late night and early morning, when crime is taking place.”

The city’s “neighbourhood safety team” was officially deployed in Bonteheuwel on July 2.

At the launch, mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said the officers would maintain a visible presence, attend to by-law transgressions and assist with crime prevention in conjunction with the metro police and traffic services, and the SAPS.

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