The Riverlea community live in fear as gang violence has increased Photo Pexels
Johannesburg – The community of Riverlea is living in fear as violent incidents continue to rise in the area, making it synonymous with danger and unease. The escalation of gang warfare, especially since early 2022, has contributed significantly to this atmosphere of fear. The situation has only worsened due to the presence of illegal mining activities and the notorious Zama Zamas.
The area is now on “red alert” following incidents where Bolt and Uber drivers were targeted and a young person was tragically shot and killed outside a nearby primary school on Monday, said Bernice Joubert, Deputy secretary for the CPF. Gang violence from neighbouring Westbury and Eldorado Park has overflowed into Riverlea, leaving all three communities paralyzed with fear and insecurity.
“It is really, really bad. We have funerals every Saturday where youngsters are being buried. The Zama Zamas have died down now. It’s now just the shootings and a lot of it is also with association. If I’m a [member] of Fast Gun and I’m friends with a Varado then I will be taken out as well and vice versa.”
Law enforcement and their efforts
In August, Police Minister Bheki Cele met with Riverlea residents to address the persistent issues of illegal mining turf wars and gang violence. Following his visit, a specialised task force was deployed to tackle the Zama Zamas. Unfortunately, these efforts were not without casualties. In the past three months alone, more than 30 police officers have tragically lost their lives while on duty, falling victim to gunfire. The Police Minister made this announcement during his speech at the funeral of Dalmain Morris, a committed officer from the anti-gang police unit, who was fatally shot by a known gang member in Westbury.
It is an ongoing crisis as just last month seven police officers were targeted and attacked resulting in the deaths of two of them, Morris being one of them. Cele called on the police to take “decisive actions” to ensure no more lives are lost and criminals are sent a clear message.
“I am told these people are known. I don’t want you to know them. I want you to touch them. These guys must be found. If they come on [their] feet, let them. If they come on their backs, let them. But they must be found. I do want this new approach of the police to not give the gap between crime and time. We must act. They must know that if you do this, we will respond and we will respond decisively and much quickly in whatever form. We must know that the people we are hunting are armed and I don’t want to come here and try again. My tears are dry now. I don’t wanna cry again.”
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Factors fuelling the crisis in Riverlea
Riverlea finds itself in this crisis situation because of the drug epidemic, educational and economic challenges and poor service delivery, said Joubert. The inconsistent street lighting fosters a conducive environment for criminal activities during the night, while the absence of essential services intensifies residents’ feelings of neglect, exacerbating the community’s frustrations.
“There’s too many youngsters that have dropped out of school. Especially those from 1994. Most of them dropped out of school. I know during the Apartheid era they used to have apprenticeship training and when our government took over, all that fell away. Previously the coloured community were very good artisans because they were all trained apprentices. They all did apprenticeships but once the ANC took over, everything just fell away and that’s where I think our problem started. After that, the coloured community was just left. There is nothing for them to do. They all turn to drugs.”
In order to effectively solve this crisis, Joubert strongly believes the crime rate needs to be decreased. Then and only then can the community attract foreign investors which will lead to different projects being started which will lead to job creation. In order to bring the crime rate down, police visibility has to be increased.
Riverlea is currently facing a severe crisis marked by escalating violence, gang conflicts, and a widespread drug epidemic. Recent incidents, ranging from targeted assaults on drivers to the loss of innocent lives, emphasise the critical nature of the situation. Law enforcement agencies have implemented specialised strategies in response. The call by the Minister for decisive action emphasises the need to enhance police presence, suppress criminal activities, and restore public safety.
