More law enforcement officers are being deployed in areas such as Manenberg and Lavender Hill following an increase in gang violence.
Also read: Police suspect gangs behind deadly surge of violence in Steenberg
At least 14 firearms, including a zip gun and two imitation firearms, have been confiscated this month. Between Monday, 8 April and Sunday, 14 April, Cape Town law enforcement officers recovered five firearms in Gugulethu, Philippi East, Samora Machel and Manenberg, and six people were arrested.
JP Smith, the City’s Mayco member for safety and security, says officers also arrested an 18-year-old suspect for the possession of an imitation firearm and four blank rounds in Mfuleni.
In Delft, a LEAP officer arrested two suspects after they were found in possession of cell phones and a blood-stained knife. These two people were later linked to a murder in the area.
In Manenberg, metro police officers recovered three firearms, including a replica pistol and arrested four suspects. One of the firearms was reported stolen in Hartebeespoort Dam in February.
‘In the past week, with the flare-up of gang violence in Manenberg, the City redirected staff to increase our presence on the ground,’ says Smith.
‘Now Lavender Hill too is seeing a surge in violence. We are doing everything we can to stem the tide, and the firearm recoveries and related arrests attest to that.’
‘While the City is pursuing every possible way to support communities being affected by gang violence, we cannot replace the role that the South African Police Services (SAPS) should play.’
‘The Constitution and national government assigns the constitutional duties and budget for crime prevention to them. As a consequence, I requested the Provincial Minister for Policing Oversight and Community Safety, Reagan Allen, to call an urgent meeting last week, which took place on the morning of Thursday 11 April.’
During this meeting, Smith says, the City requested an urgent ‘joint policing intervention and intensification of boots on the ground, investigative interventions and technologies’ in the areas identified as gang hotspots.
The City also proposed a joint operations centre which would coordinate these interventions. The City is still following up with SAPS to ensure it gets implemented.
‘No, it’s not our mandate, municipalities are required by the Constitution to provide law enforcement and traffic enforcement,’ Smith adds.
‘But imagine if we hadn’t started stepping into this role a few years back? Where would we be now? We want to do more. That is why we are using the Constitution with its existing power, to devolve SAPS over to Provincial government.’
Also read:
Picture: JP Smith / Facebook