Tafelsig parents warned against stone throwing

Tafelsig East parents could be arrested along with their teenagers if they are caught throwing stones and harming passers-by, emergency services and the police, who are trying to assist those in danger.

The latest incident happened close to Bayern Munich Street, in Freedom Park Tafelsig on Friday May 7 at about 10.10pm.

Mitchell’s Plain Community Police Forum’s (CPF) Tafelsig East chairwoman Cheryleen Fredericks said stoning incidents occurred two to three times a month.

“It could last anything from ten minutes to sometimes a half an hour,” she said.

Ms Fredericks said in most instances no cases were reported because the perpetrators were unknown and that there were no reports of property damage.

“These incidents usually happen at the weekend,” she said.

“These teenagers, from the community, drink alcohol and when they are drunk the stone-throwing occurs.

“Most times girls are involved and start these incidents as well as gangsters are involved.”

Ms Fredericks said motorists often had to turnaround to avoid getting caught in the stone-throwing.

And in many cases, she added, parents were in denial about their children’s involvement.

“It’s never their kids. Some parents will come fetch their children the first two times but afterwards it is like it never happens,” said Ms Fredericks.

Brigadier Cass Goolam, Mitchell’s Plain acting cluster commander, warned parents against allowing their children to engage in stone throwing.

He said the ongoing incidents of stone throwing in some sectors of the community had led to the withdrawal of much needed essential services to the community and had resulted in thousands of rands in damages to state and private vehicles or property.

“The stone throwing has also resulted in persons being injured and needing medical treatment,” he said.

The police have issued a warning to the parents of the perpetrators as it is mostly children throwing stones.

“There is also a tendency in some sectors to stone vehicles of essential services and said that SAPS is busy collecting evidence against these stone throwers, and against the parents for child neglect. They should expect to bear the brunt of civil claims and summonses for damages to vehicles and property,” Brigadier Goolam said.

He said that there would be “no mercy” for those compromising services by stone throwing.

He urged the civic organisations to speak out against these acts of public violence and has instructed that these incidents be recorded and the perpetrators brought to book along with their parents.

Members of the community are urged to report all elements of criminality in their area by calling the SAPS Crime Stop toll-free line on 086 001 0111.