47 arrested for illegal gathering in Mitchell’s Plain

By Kim Saulse
16 August 2009

Forty seven people will appear in the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrates Court tomorrow, after a tense confrontation between Mitchell’s Plain community members and police last night.

Members of PAGAD (People Against Gangsterism and Drugs movement) planned to march to alleged drug dealers’ homes in Lentegeur.

“Last night (Saturday 2009-08-15) at about 20h30, a group of about 100 people gathered on an open field at the c/o AZ Berman Drive and Lenaria Road in Lentegeur, Mitchell’s Plain.

“They initially had a meeting in the hall next to the mosque in AZ Berman Drive before they moved to the open field. It is understood that they would march from there,” said SAPS spokesperson Inspector November Filander.

Members of the Mitchell’s Plain Police and Metro Police, were dispatched to the scene. The crowd was given a warning that the gathering was illegal and in terms of standard operating procedures for crowd control, they were warned to disperse peacefully.

“The crowd failed to comply with the warning to disperse and according to reports from police and metro police members at the scene they received verbal threats from people in the crowd that they were going to be killed last night,” said Inspector Filander.

This prompted police to use rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse the crowd.

47 people were arrested and face charges of in terms of the Illegal Gatherings Act.