Gang violence persists despite police claims of success

ANTI-CRIME activists have cast doubt on National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola’s assurance that officers had “made encouraging inroads to disrupt organised gang-related activity” in the Western Cape following the arrest of 722 suspected gang members in the past seven months.

Officers also seized more than 1500 illegal firearms during the same period, according to a statement from Masemola’s office.

From April to date, more than 980 officers were deployed to various hotspots for gang activity daily. 

He said 800 officers from both the SAPS and the City of Cape Town and an additional 182 from head office in Pretoria. 

“This is over and above the more than 9000 officers who serve at 62 police stations within the City of Cape Town policing precinct. This collaboration has ultimately resulted in a number of successes, including the arrest of 722 gangsters from various hotspot areas like Mitchell’s Plain, Mfuleni, Delft, Bishop Lavis, Tafelsig, Muizenberg, Grassy Park and Manenberg, to mention a few.”

Officers also arrested 2296 suspects for drug dealing, 96 for gang-related murders, and 60 for gang-related attempted murders. During the same period, officers also seized 1565 firearms and 39 371 rounds of ammunition.

The biggest arrests were for people found in possession of drugs, which included 54 947 suspects. 

“The support and collaboration of the community play a major role in ensuring that we put an end to gang violence. Through Community Policing Forums(CPF) and other safety and security structures, the SAPS remains committed to forging solid partnerships to end ongoing killings,” Masemola said.

The Western Cape has seen a surge in gun violence in recent weeks, with no less than five mass  shootings  (involving three or more people) since the provincial police launched the Safer Festive Season Operations under Operation Shanela II last week. The  most recent occurred in Site C, Khayelitsha  when two men were killed and another wounded.

About the strides police claim to be making on the ground, Anti-crime activist, Dean Ramjoomia said: “From Friday until late yesterday 7 people were killed, it could be more as few people were seriously injured. How many of those arrested are people that actually killed, how many are suspects of murder? Then you would be saying something was actually done.” 

He said arrests needed to target those that hold the power and policing needed to be strategic in targeting drug houses and gang hangout facilities, as well as working with correctional services to crack down on prison gangs. 

Roscoe Jacobs from the #GangsterismMustFall movement said little progress was being made in dealing with crime without the social issues being addressed. “We are putting a plaster on an infected wound. We are actually addressing the symptoms”.

Cape Times