Rising violence in Chatsworth linked to drug, alcohol abuse

COMMUNITY leaders are sounding the alarm over a rise in violence linked to drug and alcohol abuse, following a crime analysis report indicating an increase in assault and grievous bodily harm cases in Chatsworth.

This week, KZN police issued a statement, calling on Chatsworth residents to be tolerant of each other and seek alternative means of resolving differences rather than resorting to violence.

“Recent crime analysis has shown an increase in cases of contact crimes, especially common assault and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (assault GBH),” said Colonel Robert Netshiunda, spokesperson for the KZN police.

He said after studying the crime patterns, police had established that most cases of assault emanated from people who had been intolerant and ended up assaulting one another.

“Currently there is a rising number of assault cases in the Chatsworth policing precinct. Most cases are counter charges between neighbours and relatives who failed to resolve issues amicably and ended up assaulting each other. There are also several cases of violation of protection orders, emanating from neighbours, relatives or acquaintances. Road rage incidents, resulting from impatient and intolerant motorists, are also contributing to the high number of assault GBH cases,” he added.

Netshiunda called on residents to avoid unnecessary arguments and be good neighbours.

“We will continue to open cases as reported by all complainants and investigate as mandated by the Constitution. However resources used to attend to cases resulting from intolerance and egotistic behaviour could be redirected to the fight against other violent crimes that have plagued our province.

“Traditional leaders and councillors are also urged to play a leading role in ensuring healthy neighbourhoods and active participation by all residents in all community building initiatives,” Netshiunda said.

Yugen Pillay, chairperson of the Chatsworth Community Policing Forum (CPF), said drugs, alcohol and unemployment fuelled the high number of cases in Chatsworth.

“When people are under the influence of alcohol and drugs, they have no self-restraint. Today, drugs and alcohol are easy to obtain,” he said.

Pillay said on weekends, there was a noted increase in domestic violence and where people became violent after consuming alcohol or drugs.

“We also have adult children and grandchildren assaulting their mothers, grandmothers and grandfathers. This has sadly become a norm. Drugs and alcohol are also driving this trend,” Pillay said.

He added that more skills development programmes and employment opportunities were needed to curb these incidents.

“We also need to reduce access to drugs, and clamp down on drug dens and taverns. Alcohol is available at any time of the day or night, and there is a need for better monitoring of this.”

Jakes Singh, a community leader and former chairperson of the Chatsworth CPF, said: “Social crime is the trunk of the tree, then you get the branches which are the drugs, liquor, unemployment and adultery. The list goes on. Majority of these are home-based crimes, happening inside the house and then filtering into the community.”

He also said that unemployment, drugs and alcohol were driving crime.

“It is not easy to get rid of the drug problem, because when one drug shop closes, another opens. Police corruption adds to this. Two notorious alleged drug dealers in Chatsworth, Teddy Mafia (Yaganathan Pillay) and Puff (Brandon Kalicharan), are dead for years now

but their businesses are still fully operational. The Anti-Drug Forum (ADF) is still in operation in the area but they are not operating with its intended purpose,” he added.

Pillay said to turn things around, the community needed to stand united and work with law enforcement authorities.

Marlin Naicker, chairperson of the Montford CPF sub-forum, said both men and women were involved in cases of assault and GBH.

“In Montford we have cases where children and grandchildren become violent when they cannot extort money from their parents or grandparents. Urgent interventions by police, religious organisations and organisations dealing with drugs and alcohol are needed to turn things around,” Naicker added.

Teddy Govender, chairperson of the Chatsworth Concerned Citizens Group, said the surge in violence was also due to the breakdown of the extended family unit.

“There is a lack of the culture of respect, good moral values and respect.

“This has been lost amid new trends of nuclear family cells with western values. The socioeconomic situation, with the high unemployment rate for years, has left many people - some of whom are highly qualified - disillusioned, frustrated and angry,” Govender added.

Jonah Maraj, spokesperson for the Westcliff CPF, said poor communication, misunderstandings and unemployment often sparked feuds in the Westcliff community.

“There is also a lack of accountability and responsibility, and a disconnection from moral or ethical behaviour,” he added.

Maraj urged residents to utilise the free services of non-profit organisations to curb the high number of incidents. “We also need stricter punishment for repeat offenders, especially those that habitually breach protection orders.”

The POST