Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia on Tuesday 9 September held an engagement with community stakeholders in Mitchells Plain and Mfuleni in an effort to curb violence linked to gang activity in the Western Cape.
The Minister’s visit forms part of a broader Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster effort aim to implement practical, community-driven interventions against gang violence and foster safety.
Among the stakeholders attended the engagements included representatives from civic groups, religious leaders and Community Policing Forums (CPFs).
Cachalia said gang violence in the province are as a result of organised transnational crime, stressing the need for a coordinated response.
Cachalia said he requested a briefing from National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola on what the South African Police Service (SAPS) is doing to curb the violence, including the effectiveness of anti-gang units that has been established.
“I am aware of course that some time ago anti-gang units were put in place. There’s been some question about their effectiveness, and I intend to look into that,” he said.
Gang violence in areas like Mitchells Plain and Mfuleni has been going on for some time, with communities experiencing high levels of extortion, shootings and drug-related crimes.
The Cape Flats, including some suburbs, sees frequent clashes between rival gangs such as the Americans and Mongrels, leading to crossfire that endangers innocent residents.
Mitchells Plain residents told Cachalia that they need increased police presence to protect them from gangsters’ violence.
Cachalia pledged to do everything in his power to improve policing and reducing crime in the country.
Cachalia said the provincial commissioner and the head of crime intelligence presented him with a strategy to fight crime in the affected areas.
“They must still implement that plan. They must still resource that plan, that plan is needed. So we need a stabilisation plan.
“We need to go on the offensive against the drug lords, stabilise our communities, make sure that we are in charge, not the criminals,” he said.
Cachalia said that they might have to put in place special measures to get rid of gangsterism.
A number of people have died in gang-related violence.
