As gang violence continues to plague the Cape Flats, residents from Hanover Park have had enough of the never-ending gun violence, and its religious leaders stepped up to address the issue.
At the weekend, imams from the area got together to try and address the issue of gangsters holding the community hostage and to deliver the requests and appeals of residents in the area.
Sheikh Ebrahim Floris, the Imam at Masjid al Taqwa, Moulana Yazeed Benjamin, the Imam at Masjid al Nur, Moulana Yusuf Samaai, Imam at Masjid al Rahman, and Moulanas Taha Rodriques and Ebrahim Gaffoor, Imams at Masjid al Ilhlaas, came together to ensure the residents’ concerns were raised.
Speaking to IOL, Gaffoor said there had been countless meetings held with the local Community Police Forum (CPF), however, nothing came from all the meetings, and the decision to hold the march and address gang members was impromptu.
“We all live in Hanover Park and how many years have this been happening? People are frustrated. People are agitated by the everyday shooting, every other day, a body. People are also frustrated that nothing is being done,” he said.
Gaffoor said every night before prayers he has to wait out as a multitude of gunshots ring out.
"The idea of the march and talks by the religious leaders was to address the gang members in a peaceful manner rather than waiting for action from police. The march was not to oppose anyone. All leaders went into this with clean hearts," Gaffoor told IOL.
He said they had met up with gang members and raised the concerns of the community.
"We went harmoniously with the concern of the people. It was a request and appeal to stop traumatising our community," Gaffoor said.
However, the march, which saw hundreds of residents, including the Pagad G-Force group assist with crowd control, was not well accepted.
Pagad G-Force is a breakaway group of the well-known Pagad organisation and was established in 2014.
Videos of the march went viral on all social media platforms. G-Force members could be like real-life Robin Hoods, as some of them were on horses with bows and arrows, while others did crowd control and ensured everyone remained peaceful.
Speaking to IOL, Pagad G-Force said they were approached to assist with the march and did not get involved with planning or their strategy.
"At the first house, they asked a guy to go with them to the mosque for some talks. Others followed. We accompanied them to the mosque, and the clergy spoke to them and made agreements with them. Whatever agreements they make with one another are their business.
"We’ve got a policy that we don’t want to come into communities and dictate what they should or shouldn’t do. As long as it is done in a manner that does not put us out of the fold of anything," it said.
The Pagad G-Force said it will work alongside communities that do not have plans on how to go about addressing issues.
The group is assisting other communities and encouraging residents to form committees to become self-sustaining.
Gaffoor told IOL he was approached by police, who claimed the march was illegal.
"Police were of the opinion it was an illegal march. There were so much people, with their police Casspir, riot gear, and visibility.
"I asked the question: where is this action when the shots are going off? Police should be ridding the community of guns, but guns are being put into the community by police officers.
"We are not trying to be vigilantes. We, the learned scholars and clergy, want what’s best for our community. There is no difference of the scaredness of lives of people in Hanover Park than of those in Rondebosch or other areas.
"We are doing it with the knowledge of our Deen (judgement, custom, and religion)," Gaffoor said.
"We do not agree with the shooting and drugs. But no one is too bad to become good, and no one is too good to become bad. We (imams) went twice or thrice individually to the homes of the gangsters," Gaffoor said.
The march covered one side of Hanover Park.
On Wednesday, the imams and their assistants will be heading to the other part of Hanover Park to meet with gang members and convey the concerns of residents.
IOL