Mthethwa shoots down army plan

INLSA

CONDOLENCES: Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa and provincial police commissioner Arno Lamoer convey their condolences to Zunaid McKenzies grandmother Gadija McKenzie (left) and his sister Shamiela. He was killed when suspected gangsters opened fire close to the familys home. Photo: Courtney Africa

Barbara Maregele

and Aziz Hartley

BRINGING in the army to help combat gang violence in some Cape Town townships is out of the question as it would turn those areas into war zones, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa says.

Mthethwa was accompanied by national police commissioner Riah Phiyega and provincial police commissioner Arno Lamoer on a visit yesterday to Lavender Hill and Hanover Park, where 17 people have been killed in six weeks in gang wars. Seven more were killed elsewhere.

The visit follows Premier Helen Zille’s call to President Jacob Zuma to deploy the army to deal with the gang violence, because police could not cope. Mthethwa said the army did not have the equipment to fight gangsterism in Cape Town.

“People should stop politicking. People are dying here and the police are trying their best to ensure we strengthen our investigative capacity. Forget about the army, really.”

Last night Zille stuck to her guns. She said police must prove their conviction rate if they don’t want the army’s assistance.

“If the minister says police can maintain law and order without the army then let’s see their statistics on the number of convictions in gang-related crimes. I would love to see them succeeding, but we don’t. The army would merely be present to ensure that innocent people can go about their daily duties and not get caught in gang crossfire.”

Zille said police needed to focus on investigation which would result in convictions of criminals.

Mthethwa also visited the home of Zunaid McKenzie, 8, killed by a stray bullet two weeks ago while playing soccer near his home in Steenberg.

Mthethwa also went to Lavender Hill and said: “(Deploying) the army would be a narrow approach, as the escalating issue of gang violence can’t be isolated. It needs to be dealt with in an holistic manner by addressing the socio-economic issues. The army doesn’t have the training or equipment that police do. They only have live ammunition which leaves room for more innocent lives to be lost

during crossfire between the army and gangsters.”

Mthethwa said the Western Cape had serious socio-economical problems.

“An audit needs to be done in these areas to find out who the residents are, and what are their occupations, because a lot of the gangsters stay in these homes as well.”

Gangsters involved in shootings needed to go through the justice system and appear in court, he said.

Asked about the return of specialised police units, as demanded by the provincial government, Mthethwa said: “In the past week, 41 drug and gang-related cases were brought to book. Within the police there are already task forces that focus on this.”

Earlier, chairman of the Provincial Community Policing Forum Board Hanif Loonat rejected Zille’s call for troops, accusing her of politicising the issue.

But the Steenberg Community Police Forum’s Kevin Southgate said residents had lost faith in the police.

Southgate said calls to bring in the army was the community’s “desperate plea for help”.

barbara.maregele@inl.co.za

aziz.hartley@inl.co.za