The Umusa Community Development Projects is asking the residents of Lenasia South and the surrounding areas to adopt a different approach when it comes to theft and other crimes. As an organisation that deals with the youth of the area and has the best intersts of the local communities at heart, it has been noted that there are many teenage dropouts, especially among the boys. T abuse of drugs is very prevalent and the number of unemployed youngsters increases every day.
Taking the law into one’s own hands will not help us at all. We should work closely with the police.
To avoid making things worse, the UCDP appeals to the local police station to be welcoming to the public when they need assistance.
This has caused lot of mob violence.
The incident that occurred on August 26 in Hillside in Lenasia South, has motivated us not to be silent anymore.
Three youngsters were brutally beaten while they were waiting outside the home of their aunt’s friend, so that they could assist in cleaning the property. So-called “patrollers” suspected them of being criminals since they did not know them. Without any evidence of a theft having been committed and with no stolen items in their possession, they were taken away and beaten by old men with golf sticks, baseball bats and chains. When one of them tried to run away, he was shot at. The beating was only stopped when a young girl declared their innocence. No ambulance was summoned and they had to drag themselves to the local hospital, where they were immediately transferred to Baragwanath trauma unit.
The question we all need to ask ourselves is what we are to do to protect our fellow residents while we are killing our own children. Where is UBUNTU when the bleeding have to take themselves to hospital?
These three boys were the lucky ones. There are many who have lost their lives to mob violence. Some were guilty of stealing, but it was not worth taking their lives. Some were innocent like these three boys.
I am appealing to the residents, the police and the community police forum to work together. We have to address issues of crime from all the angles.
Pastor Nomsa Radebe-Tshabalala
Founder and CEO of Umusa Community Development Projects.
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