Police Commissioner under fire for downplaying gang-related shootings in Mitchell's Plain

The Cape Flats Safety Forum is calling for the removal of Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile after he claimed on national television that there were “not much” shootings in Mitchell’s Plain last week, despite ten fatalities and seven attempted murders.

The Mitchell’s Plain Community Policing Forum (CPF) structures and the Security & Justice Committee also expressed their concern, stating that intelligence and strategy was needed to fight the warfare.

They jointly called on Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to act while he stated he would be addressing the “gang” issue this month, when asked about it while attending the 27th Interpol African Regional Conference held at Century City a week ago.

Cachalia called on gangs to stop their warfare.

The call comes just hours after top brass in the saps praised their teams for unearthing a shocking cache in Oak Way, Weltrevrede Estate, Lentegeur , where 19 firearms, 1 500 rounds of ammunition, three gun safes, 26 magazines, a stun grenade, a silencer, and a shooting practice target board, were being stored in cooler boxes and safes.

Police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie confirmed there were no arrests but that an inquiry docket was opened.

The Cape Argus can reveal that the house is allegedly linked to the Fancy Boys gang- believed to be locked in rivalry gang warfare, which has caused sporadic shootings - even right in front of the courthouse and police station last week where one of their members was wounded and another killed.

It is further understood that the house was under surveillance for a while by intelligence teams.

Patekile said on ENCA news earlier this week: "All I know is three people were shot, that's for Mitchell’s Plain the weekend, and for the week Mitchell’s Plain didn't have that much more than Kuils River, Kraaifontein  because it has moved now to that end."

Police spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potelwa said the confiscation stopped further planned warfare: “The find is believed to be part of an orchestrated plan to perpetuate gang violence that is currently afflicting several communities in Cape Town."

Queries to provincial office about his statement was not answered by Tuesday night.

His view on gang violence in the community did not bode well by Lynn Philipps of the Cape Flats Safety forum who called for him to be removed.

“We are also of the opinion that the PC needs to be replaced by someone who is younger and has the competence and knowledge with regards to crime and criminality but understands how gang lifestyles and operations are working.”

Nicholas Gotsell, Constituency Head and member of the Select Committee on Security & Justice said Patekile’s view was troubling and called on intelligence.

“However, this success stands in stark contrast to the Provincial Police Commissioner’s astonishing claim this week that there were “not much shootings” in Mitchell’s Plain, when in reality at least 12 people were murdered in gang-related shootings across the Cape Flats over the past week and weekend alone,” he said.

“The DA calls on the Acting Police Minister and the National Police Commissioner to urgently review the quality of intelligence and data informing SAPS’ strategy in the Western Cape before more lives are lost."

Michael Jacobs, of the Lentegeur Community Policing Forum said Patekile did not consider residents.

“It puts a bad taste in the mouths of Mitchell’s Plain people, it is not a true reflection of the daily shootings and killings that are happening within Mitchell’s Plain,” he added.

MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais said: "I urge the SAPS to trace the origin of these weapons and expose the networks and individuals responsible for distributing them.”

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