Dear Teun It is extremely sad that a person had died on Lower Main Road Observatory, bleeding to death from a stab wound after he embarked from a club (apparently were put out) at approx 2 am in the morning. It is one death too many!
Although it is a bit late, I extend sincere condolences on behalf of the ONW and Observatory at large, to the family and friends of the late Andrew Aminiel. Yes, there was a festival in Observatory, there were many that would never had been around here, yes many of them did hang on till way late night hours, and were entertained by our establishments, fact. More facts, there was no festival on in Observatory after Friday 11 pm, there were clubs that exercised no control as they often do, drugs is not out of line during these hours, there is usually little or no policing during these hours, brawls or pathetic behavior is not uncommon, it’s just another night, the past festival just made it busier. Who will be next, just because I dare to go down there on so many nights to be the eyes and ears and be the tattletale between the clubs and SAPS regarding the scrap that goes on when Observatory is supposedly asleep but for some who can't because of the disturbances, and have made so many phone calls for help to SAPS, or helped with a few other ostriches on behalf of a number in our community to lobby Municipality to control, Liquor Board to step in, or Metro to police come in proactively. Meeting, meetings and more meetings, how long before it is me who is laying there, my retirement wasted! Will something suddenly be done by SAPS, the Municipality and the other authorities? I say it again, I have stopped fighting the clubs and pubs. I am now fighting the Police and the authorities and will continue to do so for residents or visitors to be able to enjoy the ambience of Observatory’s liquor licensed premises again by day, or by night. I and others have begun to be the difference in Observatory, but we await you, the Police and other authorities, and rightly said, other Observatarians, to wake up. Kind regards Till we meet again to put in place what we discussed on Tuesday. James Cowley On Tue, Dec 7, 2010 at 9:56 AM, Teun Baartman <teun.baart...@gmail.com>wrote: > • “The incident occurred well after the Observatory Festival of Arts > had shut down for the evening. “ > • “Over to SAPS. “ > • “Having looked at the facts we feel that this incident was > unrelated > to the festival – having happened both outside of the festival borders > and many hours after the festival had dispersed.” > • “ the murder was linked to gang activity in the Salt River area and > involved drugs.” > • “We don’t believe the festival was the cause of the murder. The > incident took place outside our perimeter, after the festival” > > These are some of the quotes from Observatory community members here > and in the press reacting to the terrible happenings at the Obs > Festival last weekend. One can clearly see the common trend: everybody > and everything else is blamed and nobody in Observatory takes > responsibility. Denialism is king in Obs. > > Things will never improve in Observatory if the residents and > community keep on having this “ostrich mentality”. > > The Observatory community should take responsibility and say: “this > happened in our area and on our watch – the only people who are going > to make a change here are > we, the people living in this area.” > > > On Dec 6, 10:40 pm, "Alan & Aparna" <thecaveofthed...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > God Trevor. What a disturbing and distressing account. We stayed > > away from the festival due to the perception that it was the same > > story - a giant multi-day festival that would attract plenty of people > > wanting to stir up s%^t and get wasted; unlike the old 1 day festival. > > > > Whether fair or not (and probably not, I'll grant) I can't help but > > associate this incident with the festival - as I'm sure many others > > will. Will that not mean that more good people will stay away from > > it, and more bad people will see it as their playground? > > > > More to the point it leaves me feeling very depressed about our > > police. A story like this makes me think that they're broken as a > > force. I don't blame our Woodstock officers for that. They are > > responding to the training and example they've been given. And > > they're naturally warm and helpful human beings from 80% of my > > experience with them. But this scene you paint, makes me think > > they've been given all the wrong protocols and training. > > > > I was already starting to hear from acquaintances - some even who live > > in townships with huge crime rates far in excess of Observatory's - > > that they perceive Obs as a dangerous place. > > > > I don't quite know what I want to say except that this is seriously > > depressing stuff. > > > > Alan > > > > On Dec 6, 1:08 pm, Trevor Hughes <t...@thewildfig.co.za> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I have read various online reports, twitter reports, newspaper reports > > > (Cape Times, Voice, Argus) and with the exception of the typical Voice > > > headline and pictures, found the reporting to be objective and fair. > > > This is based on my own witnessing of the event shortly after the > > > stabbing took place. > > > > > One thing that appalled me and has not been reported on was the > > > complete disarray that the members of the SAP were in. Once would > > > thing a stabbing woudl be a fairly routine matter for them. > > > > > When I arrived on the scene shortly after the incident, Andrew was > > > still alive - dying but alive. I saw not one policeman render > > > assistance as he was bleeding out. > > > > > They were running arround like headless chickens - soulless headless > > > chickens not displaying an ounce of humanity to the dying victim. > > > > > Finally I saw a lady render some assistance - too late to make a > > > difference. Whether prompt first aid assistance from the SAPS (or > > > anyone) would have made a difference to the outcome I cannot say, but > > > that it did not happen was extemely sad. > > > > > Hilton Malila had only a comment to make about the SAP could not > > > render medical assistance as they were not trained for it. Malila > > > himself was on the scene. His car splattered with blood. > > > > > The police were more worried with trying to set up a crime tape than > > > rendering assistance to the victim. There was a captain there who > > > seemed more concerned to stop people taking pictures and to threaten > > > to arrest them than render assistance. > > > > > Yes I observed with sadness from behind the tape, aghast that nothing > > > was been done - not doing anything myself - knowing I would react with > > > anger and outrage should a policeman have laid a finger on me in any > > > attempt to cross the line - so I remained a spectator. Wondering if it > > > was I lying there whether the same lack of concern would be metered > > > out by the SAP. > > > > > Not only did Andrew bleed to death on that pavement, Obs was > > > hemorrhaging as well. > > > > > No matter what Andrew did or was alleged to have been or where he was > > > from, he was human first and did not deserve to die in a gutter in > > > Observatory. > > > > > Trev > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. > To post to this group, send email to ob...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > obsnw+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com <obsnw%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com>. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw?hl=en. > > -- 082 926 1220 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. 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