Thanks Trevor, for putting a name to the person who died. It helps me to acknowledge fully the tragedy of a life lost. Sometimes it seems easier not to want to know or to hope we can reduce the impact by thinking of faceless people or 'undesirable' elements.
Thanks also for your honest report on the events as you witnessed it. It seems appalling that somebodies child was dying on out doorstep without someone trying to stop his bleeding or even holding his hand. I am hoping with all my heart that we can use this tragedy to prevent Observatory from becoming a no-go area in the evening. Some suggestions for action: 1. I would like to suggest that a first step is for the civic organizations in Obs ( OBSID, OBScivic, business forum, Obse fest organisors) to do a review of the events (incl how it realts or not to the festival). 2. It would also be great if we can extend an official letter of condolences ympathy with the family of the victim. 3. It would be good if all the spokespersons for these organisations can also liase about how they address the media on the issue. The original press release was good in that it at started off condolences and then laying out the events. This is common basic decency and should be starting point of all our official and public communication as a community. Regards Natalie On Mon, Dec 6, 2010 at 1:08 PM, Trevor Hughes <[email protected]> wrote: > I have read various online reports, twitter reports, newspaper reports > (Cape Times, Voice, Argus) and with the exception of the typical Voice > headline and pictures, found the reporting to be objective and fair. > This is based on my own witnessing of the event shortly after the > stabbing took place. > > One thing that appalled me and has not been reported on was the > complete disarray that the members of the SAP were in. Once would > thing a stabbing woudl be a fairly routine matter for them. > > When I arrived on the scene shortly after the incident, Andrew was > still alive - dying but alive. I saw not one policeman render > assistance as he was bleeding out. > > They were running arround like headless chickens - soulless headless > chickens not displaying an ounce of humanity to the dying victim. > > Finally I saw a lady render some assistance - too late to make a > difference. Whether prompt first aid assistance from the SAPS (or > anyone) would have made a difference to the outcome I cannot say, but > that it did not happen was extemely sad. > > Hilton Malila had only a comment to make about the SAP could not > render medical assistance as they were not trained for it. Malila > himself was on the scene. His car splattered with blood. > > The police were more worried with trying to set up a crime tape than > rendering assistance to the victim. There was a captain there who > seemed more concerned to stop people taking pictures and to threaten > to arrest them than render assistance. > > Yes I observed with sadness from behind the tape, aghast that nothing > was been done - not doing anything myself - knowing I would react with > anger and outrage should a policeman have laid a finger on me in any > attempt to cross the line - so I remained a spectator. Wondering if it > was I lying there whether the same lack of concern would be metered > out by the SAP. > > Not only did Andrew bleed to death on that pavement, Obs was > hemorrhaging as well. > > No matter what Andrew did or was alleged to have been or where he was > from, he was human first and did not deserve to die in a gutter in > Observatory. > > Trev > > -- > 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] <obsnw%[email protected]>. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw?hl=en. > > -- 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.
