The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has condemned the failure to adequately address the ongoing violence that has claimed scores of lives on the Cape Flats recently.

The SAHRC expressed its heart-felt condolences to the families of the victims of the ongoing violence.

According to the Daily Voice, the raging gang war between the Fancy Boys and Americans in Lentegeur has seen seven people being shot in just one week.

The shocking shootings which started on 10 January saw two children being struck as heartless gangsters opened fire in the streets.

Residents also took to the streets in protest of the gang violence and shootings.

The recent gang shootings prompted Mayco Member for Safety and Security JP Smith to accompany Metro Police and Law Enforcement officers as they crackdown on gangs.

Over the weekend, Smith went along with the senior management into Lentegeur and Beacon Valley, to see how law enforcement forces are stabilising the area after rampant shootings by gangs in Mitchells Plain.

“We have redirected 100 of our officers into the area, to assist our SAPS with their stabilisation efforts. But many communities are suffering the same. Together we discussed solutions on how we can increase our efforts in this community and others, instead of just running around each time in the wake and aftermath of such gang terror.”

The SAHRC has highlighted the violation of the right to life (s8 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa), the most fundamental of all rights, on an “ongoing and seemingly unaddressed basis is intolerable”.

“The Constitution also guarantees the rights to freedom and security of the person and freedom of movement for all Communities in violence-plagued areas of the Western Cape are not excluded from constitutional guaranteed rights, yet for years have suffered the ongoing violation of these rights."

In an interview with SAfm on Monday morning, Aseza Gungubele, Commissioner responsible for Migration, Human Settlement and Climate at the SAHRC, said the shootings had an impact on people’s lives, affecting their freedom of movement.

Gungubele said they have been monitoring the matter, and have themselves been on the ground trying to speak to communities and government officials making sure that the level of violence does come to an end.

Speaking of Smith’s recent efforts, Gungubele said, “We must take the opportunity to welcome the efforts that have been done by the City of Cape Town, making sure that there is a stability of law enforcement agencies.

"Of course we think there is more that should be done. This, by no means, has not started yesterday, it has been coming for many years. If you look back many years, even 2019 or so…people have been killed through the violence of gangsters.

“So we are calling on government, community police forums and the City of Cape Town, including the community leaders…This thing is bigger than all of us. It can’t be only one sector that is involved.”

Gungubele said visibility is needed in all sectors to tackle this issue. He added that the SAHRC has initiated an investigation into the shootings, but that they also want to have a proper engagement with the authorities inside and outside the province.

Gungubele added that one of the focuses for the SAHRC this year is ‘a right to life campaign’, not just focused on the Western Cape but on the whole country.

Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Anroux Marais said that she agrees with Gungubele that a whole-of-society approach is needed.

“I am in full agreement with Mr Gungubele that all sectors must be involved in the fight against gangsterism, which has a history going back decades. That is why a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the national government, the Western Cape Government, the SAPS and the City of Cape Town.

“The Implementation Agreement to action the memorandum is nearing completion. We welcome any and all input on combating gangsterism, including from the SAHRC, because success against gangsters saves lives in the Western Cape.”

Smith said that the City of Cape Town has consistently increased its budget and resourcing of its enforcement agencies over time to help meet the growing demand in many of our communities impacted by gang violence.

“The introduction of LEAP in 2019, and the subsequent expansion of the programme, was arguably one of the single biggest undertakings to increase a visible police presence in our most affected policing precincts. A few months ago, in consultation with SAPS, we redeployed LEAP to focus on the worst affected precincts, to try and drive down crime rates,” Smith said.

He also touted t the City’s growing tech arsenal, stating that apart from an ever growing CCTV footprint, “we have also utilised drones, the fixed wing aircraft ‘Eye in the Sky’, our gunshot detection technology, in-vehicle camera solutions (dashcams) with Automated Number Plate Recognition capabilities as well as body worn cameras for staff”.

“In August last year, the City signed a cooperation agreement with SAPS, which, while still in its infancy, is starting to reap rewards. We look forward to seeing how much more can be achieved in terms of creating safer communities.

“That said, it must never be forgotten that crime prevention is the mandate of the South African Police Service. Everything that the City does is in support of SAPS.

“We have proven our willingness to work side by side, and to bring as much to the table as our budget and resources will allow. However, there are systemic issues within the criminal justice system that need to be tackled if we are to ever make a meaningful difference in the lives of our residents – unfortunately the City does not have control over these entities.”

theolin.tembo@inl.co.za