PRESS RELEASE

Greater Rustenburg Citizens Forum for Change taking more Action!

Under the Chairmanship of the Greater Rustenburg Community Foundation, members of the community, Residents of blocks of flats, Home Owners and Business people in Rustenburg, and especially citizens living in the Leyd Street area, have once again gathered during a meeting on 25 February 2010.

This meeting was well attended, and as with the first Steering Committee meeting, more evidence have come to  light, regarding the enormous challenge our community is facing with regards to drug peddling, sex workers, human trafficking, rape, threats on lives by foreign people towards Rustenburg Community Members, violation, the destruction of property and a major health risk in terms of dirty streets and the non removal of refuse, the increase of used condoms which home owners and business people have to clean up daily on their properties, abandoned houses that are being used by drug peddlers, pimps and sex workers – the list is endless!  Adding to this growing list, it has also come to our attention that a girl of 5 years are one of the victims of these ruthless pimps – something we believe the community is outraged about!

During the GRCFC’s previous meeting there was a decision taken to record as much as possible incidents, to work as close as possible with our Police Force, to raise the awareness amongst the public and to call on the public to step forward with any new information.

Today, the members of the GRCFC has no alternative but to send the strongest message possible to the authorities, who are in service of the safety of the residents of Rustenburg , including owners of properties who are renting their flats and houses to these criminal elements in our community: NO MORE!

Over a period of just 11 days, the chairperson of the GRCFC has had personal experience of the reluctant support from our Safety and Security, SAPS and other departments. Residents of properties has had the very same reaction – it is simply a waste of time to report any incidents of violation – even when we report that children are falling victim to these perpetrators, and even when we report that 100 sex workers, pimps and drug peddlers are crowding into ONE UNIT of a block of flats, threatening residents with death!

Perpetrators that are evicted from one block of flats in Leyd Street, has now simply crowed into another block of flats, being supported by their fellow so called “friends” and in doing so, just increasing the amount of violence and chaos. The Chairperson of the GRCFC, has personal experience of being treated as “the criminal”, whilst drug peddling, human trafficking, rape and death threats are rising!

Business owners in Rustenburg, who are busy devising all kinds of “business plans”, to try and capitalize on the 2010 World Cup Soccer here in Rustenburg, should also be thinking twice! We, the residents of Rustenburg certainly do not need such kind of business people amongst us! The “Booze and Brothel Bus” WILL NOT HAPPEN!! We intend to alert the International Media about what is happening Rustenburg! FIFA and the organizers of the world cup are being invited to a meeting with members of the GRCFC to discuss this matter, amongst other critical issues as well!

By going to press, the GRCFC have by now lodged several complaints, to the Presidential Hot line, about the non support by SAPS and other Safety and Security Departments – and the matter will be taken to the highest level in our country. Through our networks we are also rallying for International support.

Enough evidence have been collected regarding all that has been mentioned, and we are continuing to do so – whilst it was the full intent to share this information with the Police and other Safety and Security structures, the GRCFC has now realized that it serves no or very little purpose and more so, we are suspecting that it is this very same information that are being used against the safety of our community. The GRCFC will continue to log information of drug peddling, human trafficking, sex workers, abuse, violation of the rights of residents and community members - but until the GRCFC is absolutely sure that this information is being utilized and acted upon to keep our city clean and safe – we will make it available to external sources, which at this point now seems to be our only option. The public is also requested to stay alert and please report any of the abovementioned incidents to the GRCFC. Whilst we are trying to clean up Leyd Street, it is our concern that this pandemic will spread just further into our community! Please keep yourselves and your precious children SAFE!

For any information or if the public has any information to share please contact: Christine Delport – Tel: 014 5921525 or Cell: 0828076086