Cape Town - Gangsterism is now evidently in all “our” townships, including African townships where they did not previously exist, says Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz.
His comment followed a spate of murders in townships and suburbs on the Cape Flats.
Fritz called on the Anti-Gang Unit to also be deployed in traditionally black townships.
Reports at the weekend said teenage gangs were on the rampage in Gugulethu, KTC and Blikkiesdorp, stabbing and killing several people, while smashing residents’ windows and doors.
Fritz said that in the Western Cape 1 875 people were murdered in the past six months alone. “This means many of our most vulnerable residents are living in a war zone.”
He said he would request an urgent meeting with police minister Bheki Cele.
“I will further be attending the Provincial Courts Efficiency Committee meeting on Wednesday, where I will again call for the police to act and put an end to the violence in the province.
“As the Western Cape government we will continue to do everything within our power to prevent crime, through our programmes, while working with our communities.
“Among others, these programmes prioritise the development of youth, and drive job creation to ensure individuals do not have to resort to a life of crime.”
The chairperson of the Community Policing Forum (CPF) in Delft, Charles George, said that despite being the only province in the country with a Community Safety Act, the Western Cape remained one of the most crime-ridden areas.
He said 22 people were killed in multiple shooting incidents in the area in the past week. George said most of the shootings were gang-related. He said that at the weekend they met the police, the Anti-Gang Unit and community leaders to discuss possible solutions to the problem.
“From the CPF’s side we are working with the police and we want to say to the community that we want to hold the police accountable as well. We believe that collectively we can bring about a solution to the problems we are facing.”
Police spokesperson André Traut said the cases were under investigation.
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