The shooting of a man on Carmen Street, Scottsdene last week has brought attention to long-awaited CCTV cameras to be installed in the area.
Darryn September, 20, was gunned down near his home on his way to work shortly before 7am on Wednesday July 20, according to provincial police spokesman, Captain FC van Wyk. He was reportedly shot 20 times, but police couldn’t confirm this.
Darryn’s mother refused to talk to the Northern News because, she said there had been distorted stories in the news.
Outside the home, there was a palpable sense of fear and solemnity.
ANC Ward 7 candidate, Dennis Taaibosch, who lives just a stone’s throw away from the scene, said he heard 15 gunshots.
He said the incident could have been prevented had the cameras been installed a long time ago. Heaccused Sub-council 2 chairman and Ward 7 councillor Grant Twigg of being accountable for the delayed installation of the cameras.
Mr Twigg said Mr Taaibosch’s comments illustrated “how out of touch he is with the reality within out community.” Mr Twigg said it appeared that the only time Mr Taaibosch and the ANC concerned themselves about community affairs was during election time.
Mr Twigg said he had been active in fighting crime in Scottsdene. He had made funding available for two additional rent-a-cop officers to assist Kraaifontein police
“This (was) while he was watching me. None of these efforts was supported by him the ANC or individuals or parties now claiming to have our communities’ interests at heart,” he said.
The issue of cameras had been discussed several times in Sub-council 2 meetings. Mr Twigg said Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith, was also trying to source the funding for the rollout.
Mr Twigg asked why Mr Taaibosch and his party had not backed calls for deploying the army to support police communities with high crime.
“SAPS in Kraaifontein, an understaffed police station, has one sector vehicle for Scottsdene, Northpine and Summerville,” he said.
Late last year, Mr Smith estimated that the cameras would cost R300 000 per camera site. He also said Kraaifontein would be the first in line the next rollout.
