By Ofentse Mokae
12 October 2009
Residents from the Mitchells Plain neighbourhood are saddened following the death of father, husband, community leader and worker Mervin Jacobs.
Jacobs was shot dead on Friday night by an alleged gang member.
The family of the slain community crime fighter in Tafelsig has urged residents in the area to rise up gangsterism.
He was a member of the Hugeenot street committte.
Jacobs’s friend and partner Terence Hoskins was with Jacobs when a hit man opened fire on them as they were enjoying a braai.
Hoskins broke down as he described the incident to Western Cape Premier Helen Zille and Community Safety MEC Lennit Max yesterday.
Zille and Max visited the Jacobs family yesterday.
The Universal Party, a community party based in Mitchells Plain is saddened by the news of the tragic deaths of Vincent Naidoo of Rocklands a month ago and Mervin Jacobs of Tafelsig on Saturday morning.
In a statement party counsellor Martin Fienies, says they are very sad, especially after they paid the ultimate price to protect their families.
“Their widows and children left behind will have to deal with the funeral, other expenses and potentially a loss of income that may have a big impact on the family’s standard of living,” Fienies.
Fienies added that street committees and the neighbourhood watches are good crime fighting systems, but its members, who are ordinary people, should not be exposed to being targeted by criminals and be put in dangerous situations.
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