In a bid to keep the awareness on substance abuse and gang violence in communities, the People Against Gangterism and Drugs (Pagad) will be hosting a motorcade in Woodlands in Mitchells Plain on Wednesday evening. Pagad spokesperson Haroon Orrie said the main reason for the protest is to fight against gang violence in the Mitchell’s Plain area and to boycott drug dealers in the surrounding community.

It is the second motorcade in the month of Ramadan, following the one held in Lentegeur on Sunday. Orrie said they are targeting the Woodlands area because residents requested their assistance to help fight crime in the community.

“As the Pagad movement, over the years we have maintained that we need to create an awareness of the serious drug and gangsterism problems. We need to mass mobilise people as much as possible to get our communities to stand up against gangsterism and drugs,” Orrie continued.

Through the motorcade, Pagad members and supporters would drive through drug-infested areas waving banners and chanting slogans. In most cases, Pagad depended on residents to pinpoint who are the main drug high-flyers or runners operating in their areas.

“We normally have residents that attend the motorcade in the community to lead the way because they obviously know the area better than us,” Haroon said, adding that the motorcade was meant to create a sense of hope to assist and change the conditions of societies.

Pagad is calling on the broader community to come out and support the motorcade. Members will be meeting at the Woodlands mosque in Mitchells Plain and will depart from there at 9pm after Taraweeh.

“We urge the people to support and join us in this fight to eradicate gang violence and substance abuse in the area.”
On the issue of gang violence in Manenberg, Orrie said they are engaging with residents to make inroads there.

“We have been trying to come into the Manenberg area for a very long time. We are still in the process of arranging a mass march in Manenberg, however there has been some difficulty.”

For more information on the motorcade, contact Haroon Orrie on 073 384 8798. VOC (Zaakeerah Williams)