Prominent underworld crime bosses are controlling the flow of drugs into Cape Town communities, according to Western Cape premier Helen Zille, who has revealed that high-level efforts to engage local gang bosses are aimed at “catching the big fish”.
Zille was speaking in an interview yesterday, following her state of the province address on Frida., Zille’s comments come after Weekend Argus revelations about the lucrative bouncer trade at Peninsula nightclubs, which was followed by several arrests and the effective shutdown of illegal operator Specialised
Protection Services (SPS).
The premier said she was keeping close tabs on efforts to bring the city’s suspected gang and underworld bosses to their knees. While she was cautious of Community Safety MEC Dan Plato’s approach - holding talks with suspected gang and underworld bosses - the ultimate goal was to net the main culprits.
“There’s obviously a very, very fine line,” she admitted.
“I’ve discussed it with MEC Plato and he is trying to engage everyone in constructive discussions to try to bring an end to gang violence.
“His strategy has been criticised, and I do believe it is a very fine line to walk, because when people are making big money out of gangsterism and drugs trafficking, a little bit of persuasion is unlikely to turn them.”
But the strategy could also be seen as part of a bigger plan.
“It’s no use putting the tiny little one-tablet seller in jail, and the big bosses are out there.”
Zille said she was planning a follow-up meeting with Plato to discuss his approach.
She was disturbed at the events of the past few weeks involving the city’s nightclubs.
“Intimidating the owners of city businesses and restaurants and clubs to use those very protection services started by the criminals is clear-cut extortion and criminal behaviour, which we have to root out in the city.”
There were currently a number of criminal gangs operating in the province, Zille admitted.
“I have very little doubt that Cyril Beeka was taken out by a rival criminal gang, and it is really worrying to know that the very people who are supposed to be looking after the protection of clubs and entertainment are actually the very people who are threatening people’s lives, and (who are) often at the heart of the drug trade, and we have to get to the bottom of it.”
Her greatest concern was that when drugs were involved, things very quickly turned vicious, violent and criminal.
While vowing to continue to lobby for the return of specialised police drug units, Zille said police investigations had confirmed that the city’s prominent underworld bosses were allegedly the key players controlling the flow of drugs into communities, particularly on the Cape Flats.
“It is imperative that we stem this flow at its source, and that the government and law enforcement agencies send a clear message to these kingpins that we will not stand back while they target our children with their criminal activities.
“We are committed to continue working with the police to keep up the pressure on these criminal syndicates.”
The provincial government has high hopes that the new draft Western Cape Community Safety Bill will give it the necessary tools to perform its constitutional mandate of more effective policing oversight.
Zille said one of the very important aspects of the bill was that it would require private security agencies to register with the province.
“Our great concern is the extent to which the criminal underworld has penetrated private security firms and has sometimes got connections with the public security system, fundamentally undermining the efficacy of policing.
“And I think that this was most dramatically illustrated in the close friendship and relationship between Glen Agliotti and Commissioner Jackie Selebi.”
She was inspired by the New York police chief who managed to dramatically reduce crime in his city using a highly successful information technology system called Compstat, which gave them all the information they needed to address crime.
“It is very difficult to get the information we need to do proper oversight.
“So this law will make it mandatory to get the tools that we need to do proper oversight.”
The Bill was approved by the cabinet in December, and published for comment last week.
Written comments will be accepted until May 15. - Sunday Argus