Motherwell and the adjoining R335 (Addo Road) in the Eastern Cape have sadly become notorious symbols of societal unrest and criminal activity, overshadowing what is otherwise a community known for its resilience and potential.
Hijacking and kidnappings are harrowing realities faced by residents, leaving an ever-present shadow of fear that stifles daily life and community interactions. Extortion rings operate with a brazen disregard for law, exploiting local businesses and individuals, killing any hope of economic growth and fostering an atmosphere of mistrust.
Gun violence is a grim accompaniment to these criminal enterprises, making safety a scarce commodity and contributing to a pervasive sense of insecurity. Additionally, service delivery protests highlight the chronic infrastructural failings and governmental neglect that exacerbate the struggles of those living in Motherwell and along Addo Road.
These protests, often born from desperation and frustration, underscore a cry for help and attention. Sadly, that cry too is often overshadowed by opportunistic criminality.
The residents of the 25km² township find themselves grappling today with a reality that I argue has been in the making since as far back as when the township was built in 1984. Divided into blocks referred to as “NUs” (Native Units), it becomes abundantly clear to anyone who has walked its streets or spends a day among its people that the prosperity of its communities, and the quality of life of its inhabitants, was not very high up on the priority list of the apartheid-era spatial planning.
Motherwell was actually designed to be nothing more than a dump site for people who had been forcibly removed from the more attractive inner-city areas. There was never any plan for Motherwell to grow into the second largest town in the Eastern Cape, with a 5,428/km² population density [Census 2011]. So, the people of Motherwell are living on top of each other in a settlement that was deliberately built so that one never sees the horizon from one’s own home.
How dare we act surprised by what it has become?
Critical supplies
As a former resident of, and property owner in, Motherwell, I can confirm with authority that the advent of crime in the area is nothing new. It has only recently attracted the attention of the government and big business because it has spilled over to the R335, where trucks carry critical supplies to the citrus-producing farms in the Sundays River Valley and their produce to Gqeberha’s harbour.
The costs of a delayed supply of fertiliser or pesticide can be much further reaching than the value of the goods in the back of a hijacked truck. In extreme cases it could result in the loss of the entire season’s crop.
This not only threatens the sustainability of one of the most important sectors in the local economy, but thousands of jobs that are the thread that the communities of Motherwell and many other surrounding communities are holding on to. Yes, the farmers in the Sundays River Valley will take a knock if the crime forces them to close down shop, but it is a knock that they can afford far more than our communities.
I’ve paid close attention to the discussions currently taking place among the various stakeholders on what is to be done to salvage the situation. A prevalent suggestion is that an investment should be made by big business into the private policing of the R335 to ensure safe passage for trucks.
I worry that this approach does not address the actual problem, and merely deflects it to another busy road or, even worse, to the farms.
We must also be alive to the generational trauma that these communities suffer. Putting boots and guns on the ground stands only to remind us of a very dark place in our past and further divide what is already a divided society. I worry that this approach would breed hostility and exacerbate an already volatile situation.
On the other hand is a view that the government should spearhead legal and policy interventions that would address the social, economic and environmental challenges while strengthening policing and crime prevention efforts. While this appears to be an ideal solution, its feasibility is questionable.
The success of such an approach hinges on the government's capacity and political will — two factors that are not always guaranteed. Historical and current evidence raises doubts about whether our government has the necessary resources, infrastructure and leadership commitment to effectively implement any sort of comprehensive strategy.
Without clear evidence of robust institutional capacity and unwavering political resolve, the ambitious goal of the government serving as the primary catalyst for such sweeping reforms could remain pie in the sky.
Others have suggested, and I agree, with a whole-of-society approach.
Responsibility
I believe no child grows up with the aspiration of becoming a criminal. It is society that presents a life of crime as the best possible option. It is therefore our duty as society to change the narrative. We must empower the community of Motherwell and others like it to meaningfully participate in the value chain of the big business that they see happening all around them. That way they will share the responsibility of protecting it.
We must rid ourselves of the us-and-them mentality that constantly keeps us at loggerheads. It is now more clear than ever that merely coexisting is not sustainable.
We must collectively find better ways to demand basic service delivery from the municipality, and we must reject the elements of criminality that have crept into civic demonstrations.
If we can all agree that no single private sector intervention, policy reform or civic initiative can address all the socioeconomic and environmental challenges of Motherwell, then we must agree that we have a shared responsibility to find and be part of a sustainable society.
If we can all agree that we can no longer afford to discuss these issues in silos, we must agree that no meaningful solution can be found outside of the broad participation of the people of Motherwell. It is therefore my recommendation that a Motherwell crime summit be convened where a whole-of-society plan can be devised and adopted by all stakeholders. DM