Cape Town - Led mostly by mothers, Beacon Valley residents are reclaiming their streets through a protest march against unrelenting gang violence in their community.
The protest march commenced at the Beacon Valley Community Centre on Sunday afternoon and saw approximately 200 people in attendance.
Resident Charmaine Marman said it was heartbreaking to see young children armed with guns.
The protest march was a strong call for an end to gang violence, with those present calling for much-needed peace in Beacon Valley.
“We have a concern because we live in fear. We have gang rivals in our area and we want that to stop because it’s affecting our children.
“Children can’t go to schools because most of the shootings happen at the time when the kids are on their way to school or on their way back. Parents run around like headless chickens to get their kids from the schools.
“And also, it’s very sad to see, every day, that someone falls, a young child falls (victim), and the ages start from 16, 17 and younger,” Marman said.
Resident Bahiyya Leonard said that the gang violence had caused disruptions to the lives of children within the community. As a youth club manager, Leonard works closely with the youth, and witnesses first-hand how children are afraid to attend training or leave their homes in general.
“Our youths can’t even play on their own facilities that were built for them. Netball and football is something that is huge in our communities.
“Now our kids can’t play their games. They can’t run around like kids. We can’t have our children caged. That is wrong, because we weren’t caged when we were young. What I as a youth club manager only wish for is for our kids to have their freedom,” Leonard said.
Save Mitchells Plain leader Shahiem van Nelson said they had come out in support of the Beacon Valley community. The anger and frustration on the faces of the community had been evident.
“It is time that we need to start our street committees. Those that are against crime, those that are against all these ills that are happening within our communities, it is time that we as a community take ownership because currently, the SAPS complement that we have in Mitchells Plain is too little to combat the crimes that are happening within Mitchells Plain,” he said.