Top cops marched through Delft, painting huge red Xs on the houses of alleged gangsters and drug merchants.
|||Cape Town - We know who you are, we know where you live and we are coming for you.
This was the chilling message from police to gangsters and drug dealers in a Cape Town neighbourhood on Thursday.
Top cops backed by members of the community marched through Delft, painting huge red Xs on the houses of gangsters and drug merchants.
Along the way, fed up residents even snitched on other criminals unknown to cops.
The move comes as police crack down on crime-ridden suburbs like Delft and Hanover Park.
Police have arrested three gang figures in Hanover Park in the last two weeks and claim this has reduced gang activity and violence in the area.
But even as the huge contingent of officers flooded Delft on Thursday, the shooting of a suspected gang leader was happening just a few kilometres away.
Colin Booysen, one of the suspected leaders of the notorious Sexy Boys gang was gunned down outside his home before being rushed to hospital where he is fighting for his life.
His shooting has now sparked fears of violent retaliation by the gang.
The march through Delft was called after the fatal shooting of four people in the area including two young lovebirds.
Jarryd Manuel, 19, and his girlfriend Megan Hendricks, 17, died in a hail of gunfire near Jarryd’s Vuurlelie Street home on Sunday night.
Megan, a Grade 12 pupil at Bellville-South Secondary School, died in hospital after being shot in the head, while Jarryd died on the scene.
Standing in front of Megan’s home, Colonel Basil Vellai vowed that police would hound gangsters and drug dealers out of their homes if they did not change their ways.
“You are going to see, police will dominate this area,” he told the more than 200-strong crowd.
“We have marked the houses [of gangsters and drug dealers] to tell us and the community who you are.
“These gangsters are a minority and I told them to shape up or ship out.”
Vellai together with church leaders and Jarryd’s mom Hazeline Manuel and Megan’s mom Mona Hendricks laid a wreath on the spot where the couple died, calling for an end to the killings.
“This will be the last death, the last life taken,” Vellai told the crowd as some shed tears for the slain youngsters.
Megan’s grieving mom Mona said ironically her daughter wanted to move out of the area where she was shot dead.
“When she finished matric, she wanted to move because she didn’t like it here anymore,” said Mona.
She was consoled by the grandmother of murdered Chantine Veldsman, Carol Mentoor.
Three-year-old Chantine, daughter of slain gang boss Glen Khan, was murdered in Beacon Valley in Mitchells Plain, 14 years ago.
“I have also lost a loved one and we have no closure. I know this mother is speechless and angry,” Carol said.
The crowd then targeted the homes of known offenders, handing them letters containing demands from the community.
This includes stopping all drug-related activities, violent acts and providing police with the details of wanted criminals.
The gangsters were asked to sign it in front of the residents and cops to acknowledge that their criminal activities are known.
Members of the Jesters and Dixie Boys gangs were left speechless when police and the community descended on their doorsteps.
The area is home to a number of gangs including Mal Boys, Americans, Jesters, Dixie Boys, Yakkies and members of the 26 and 28 prison gangs.
At two houses in Vytjie Circle, a red X was sprayed on the walls, while the occupants looked on.
One of the occupants approached Reverend Eunice Davids of the St Matthews Anglican church and denied being a drug dealer and asked that they pray for him.
At 106 Nastergal, Roosendal, Jeffrey “Plank” Links admitted he was a member of the Dixie Boys but claimed he was not dealing in drugs.
He signed the list of demands in front of Major Christel Cloete and Warrant Officer Brian Daniels.
“You must sign your name and write that you are a Dixie Boy, ‘Plank’, jy moet nou stop met jou dinge (You should stop with what you are busy with),” Cloete told him.
“Sien jy die mense (Do you see these people),” Cloete said while pointing to the angry crowd.
Plank told the Daily Voice that he is a gangster but not a drug dealer.
“I don’t feel good about the people outside my home. This isn’t a drug house. I am only a Dixie Boy,” insists Links.
But he did not get any sympathy from the crowd who moved on to the next suspected drug dealer’s house to be marked with a red X.
Daily Voice