Cape Town - Police Minister Fikile Mbalula fulfilled his promise to the Elsies River community when he handed over a satellite police station to them.
This is after a spate of killings in the area, that included the rape and murder of three-year-old Courtney Pieters.
This is the third visit by the minister to the area.
His first visit was after three people were killed and 10 wounded in a drive-by shooting in Leonsdale, an area in Elsies River.
His second visit was after the funeral of Pieters, who was raped and killed allegedly by a man who was staying with her family.
Mortimer Saunders, 40, is currently in court facing charges.
Mbalula had some stark words for criminals as he addressed community members at the handing-over ceremony.
“Criminals must know that we are coming for them and we are doubling our numbers on the ground to deal with criminals. We must get our children off the street so that they do not become gangsters.”
Mbalula blamed the living conditions of young people in the area for the gangsterism.
“Children who want to be gangsters, must be brought back. We were not supposed to live in flats. Our lives were not valued. Ten living in one flat is not right. We cannot continue like this, because this is where criminality kicks off.
“All of us grew up poor but it does not mean that we need to be subjected to crime. I saw the play that the children did about gangsterism here today and I am going to find money to support them,” Mabalulu said. The satellite police station will be located behind the Adriaanse Community Hall in Clarke Estate in Elsies River.
Gerald Johannes, the chairperson of the Elsies River Community Policing Forum, said the killings in Elsies River must stop.
“We want to send our condolences to everyone who has lost people due to gang violence,” he said.