The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality and police will be taken to task for the human rights violations in Port Elizabeth’s northern areas.
This comes after South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) commissioner Chris Nissen spent two days crisscrossing the gang-plagued northern areas for a first-hand account of the deadly circumstances residents live in.
The commission’s intervention comes after several calls from ANC MPL Christian Martin, who in November slept in a coffin for a week in an unusual protest to highlight gang violence in parts of the city.
Martin was joined by Khoisan chiefs Crawford Fraser and Cora Hennings, who also slept in coffins in front of Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle’s office in Bhisho.
On Monday, police minister Bheki Cele was back in the Bay for a walkabout and a meeting at the Chatty Community Centre, eliciting scores of stories on the difficulties of living in “gangland”.
Cele, who had promised that a specialist anti-gang unit would be established, reiterated that promise but said community members needed to understand that establishing a unit took time.
However, he said that a task team had already been deployed to the northern areas to curb ongoing gang violence.
Nissen – who said that human rights violations were rampant in the northern areas – lauded Cele for the commitment.
“The issue of gangsterism is of course a very serious one and I’m very happy that Cele has been forthright in working to establish the anti-gang unit so that criminals do not have a hiding place,” Nissen said.
He said some of the complaints received were directed at the municipality and police.
Nissen said he would engage with the municipality and police and report back to the affected communities.
“Part of the commission’s mandate is to protect and promote human rights and where there’s violation to take the appropriate steps if and when necessary,” he said.
“Obviously the right to life and the right to walk around without fear are being violated by criminals.
“So the commission takes a very, very strong view on it in terms of people’s right to walk around without fear of being robbed, raped, murdered.
“The right to life is sacrosanct for us and the commission’s mandate [is] to promote and protect human rights [and] it’s very important that we do address the issues of crime.
“There’s also the issue around people’s living conditions. When I entered Helenvale [on Thursday] I saw sewage running down the street and I tried to get hold of the mayor’s office and the person said I must send an e-mail.
“Now why must I send an e-mail when sewage is running down the street? So, I’ve seen the living conditions of our people are pretty bad.”
Martin said the crime situation had somewhat improved since Cele’s visit to the Bay.
“Yes, we appreciate the fact that the minister was here and that commitments were made – and we do see the results of that – but as I’ve said, this is a process and not an event.
“At the end of the day, our people live under the most inhumane circumstances and their freedoms are being violated,” Martin said.
Pastor Desmond Stuurman, who was present during Nissen’s feedback, said there was hope for the northern areas.
“It is my desire for young people to come out of crime and start their own businesses.
“I’ve also spoken to other pastors and other congregations to come together so that we can become a beacon of hope for the youngsters.”