Illuminating piece. Sam
On Oct 22, 1:15 pm, Bev <[email protected]> wrote: > ‘OUR DRUGS KEEP THE FLATS ALIVE’ - Independent Newspapers > > Gang shootings and drug dealing have made Kewtown in Athlone a > nightmare for residents. > In exclusive interviews with the Daily Voice, druglords say the Cape > Flats would be worse off without them. The death merchants say that > without the multi-million rand drug trade, life on the Flats would > become unbearable for the network of families they support. The > crime bosses insist they maintain the very same communities they flood > with highly-addictive poisons. > > The men, who are known drug merchants, have all opted to speak to the > Daily Voice on condition that their identities not be revealed. > > The first point the men make is that they regret the death of innocent > children killed in gang crossfire. But they’re quick to add that > they won’t stop their risky lifestyle. “It is a trade entrenched in > the coloured culture for the past 50 years and many druglords have > come and gone,” one veteran of the drug game said. “But they will > always be replaced by others and there are still many more to come.” > > Recently the city has been rocked by a spate of fatal shootings in > Hanover Park. > Among the dead is young dad Adrian van der Berg, 23, who was shot > while holding his two kids. One of the children was hit in the leg > during the attack in Cascade Court last week. In blood-splattered > neighbourhoods like this, drugs are traded in broad daylight. On > nearly every corner there are young drug peddlers waiting for > customers. > > As the Daily Voice team passes between two streets, we notice armed > gangsters patrolling their turf. The men brazenly lift their jackets > to show us firearms hidden underneath. “Welcome to a daily > phenomenon,” one of the dealers says to us. > The 60-year-old man points to his sellers and turf in Manenberg and > explains how he runs his “business”. “They work in shifts on marked > corners. Every seller gets paid at the end of the week depending on > their sales,” he says. “Whether you are working in Manenberg, > Heideveld, Hanover Park or Elsies River, every seller gets paid.” > With chunky gold rings on both hands and gold teeth glinting in the > sun, the man looks like he is straight out of a 50 Cent or Lil’ Wayne > rap video. But this veteran of the streets has been dealing drugs > for more than four decades. And he explains that the upcoming > festive season is crucial to dealers. “People go on shopping sprees > at supermarkets during the festive season and at the same time addicts > do the same, having a ball of a time with drugs,” he says. > > He isn’t willing to disclose his profit or how many sellers work for > him – but he says he maintains their families as well. “I pay their > water and electricity, see that there is food on their tables and bury > those killed in the drug war,” he says. > > This is backed up by research done by André Standing from the > Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in 2003 on the Flats’ drug > economy. > > His report says druglords have been known to fund community centres > that feed underprivileged children, sponsor football teams, give money > to churches and provide food to poor families. “By accepting the > money from crime bosses, communities are trapped in this evil way and > this is one of the reasons why police find it difficult to penetrate > the drug economy on the Flats,” says the report. > > In Elsies River, one of the new generation of drug merchants, known > for their love of flashy cars, tells us why the drug war will never > end. “It will never stop. It is an easy way of making big bucks and > living the high life – every mert, including the Chinese mafia, knows > it is a booming economy on the Flats. > > “So many cops are on the payroll of merts there is no way that the > government or the cops are going to stop it.” > > Commenting on the ongoing gang violence, the man says it’s all about > protecting territory and income. “Every mert wants to protect his > turf and if one enters another’s turf, you can expect the bullets to > fly,” he says. > Shrugging his shoulders as if there is nothing he can do about it, he > adds: “And yes, we regret the death of innocent children (caught in > the crossfire).” - Daily Voice > > http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/our-drugs-keep-the-flats-alive... -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw?hl=en.
