Crime and gun violence had escalated in the area and sparked the call for an emergency meeting Justin Isaiah was killed during a home invasion on Thursday morning.
In response to a surge in violent crime, the Silverglen Community Policing Forum has called an emergency meeting to discuss safety measures following three recent fatal shootings, in the last two weeks.
“Yesterday, we lost a young man, Justin Isaiah. He was shot and killed during a house robbery. His elderly father was also shot, but he survived. On Tuesday, the cash-in-transit heist robbers shot their way through Silverglen Drive, killing school security guard, Nokuthula Mbajwa and wounding another female.
“Last Friday, a man was shot and killed while exiting Silverglen Drive. The gunman shot at the man's truck. He was taken to hospital and passed away on Sunday,” said Vish Mudaly, chairperson of the Silverglen Community Policing Forum (CPF).
He said crime and gun violence had escalated in the area and sparked the call for an emergency meeting
The emergency community safety meeting will take place on Saturday (February 8) at 1.45pm, at the SCDIFA Hall.
“Investigations are ongoing with all the above mentioned cases. With regards to Justin Isaiah’s murder, police are searching for two suspects. This incident has residents living in fear. But it is a wake-up call for us and at the meeting, we will strategise our crime fighting efforts,” said Mudaly.
“We visited the family but nobody was there. We wanted to conduct a wellness check, which we usually do when residents become a target of crime,” he added.
Mudaly encouraged residents to join the relevant social media crime and safety groups, on which they can reports crimes.
“When residents are added onto these groups, we have details of their security service provider and their special needs, such as if they were elderly, sick, or paraplegic people in the home. In this way, we can escalate matters quicker. The CPF has 10 security companies in our closed group. We also have 10 control groups assisting us. In an extreme emergency all would respond. There are four active companies who always respond.
“The biggest problem is that Silverglen residents have become complacent. When the CPF asks them to come for crime and safety meetings, which we have every month, only between three and 10 residents show up.
“This is largely because residents have noticed a strong security presence so they feel safe. We need to be proactive. The reality is that big dogs and high fences are no longer a deterrent for criminals,” Mudaly added.
For more information about Saturday’s meeting, send a message to 074 872 0648.
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