GUNNING FOR GANGS

ACTING Police Minister Firoz Cachalia will target Cape gangs’ supply to firearms and ammunition in his finalised stabilisation plan.

South Africa’s top cop announced that he would meet the SAPS National Commissioner and the Minister of Justice on 23 September to finalise a more coordinated plan to tackle the gun violence terrorising the Cape Flats.  

He addressed Parliament last week on gang and organised crime and committed to urgent action.

Cachalia said: “The next step is to consolidate a more comprehensive plan and ensure that together, across departments and tiers of government, we target the gangs and their criminal networks more effectively.

“Without access to firearms, the gangs will be seriously weakened. We need urgent interventions to remove firearms from gangsters and prevent further proliferation of these deadly weapons.”

He acknowledged the human toll of gang violence in the province. 

Cachalia told Parliament. “The mothers no longer allow their children to play outside. Entrepreneurs close their businesses early for fear of extortion, and learners cannot consistently attend school. These are the real costs of gang violence.

"Courage requires confronting uncomfortable truths about the conditions that have allowed this violence to flourish; entrenched poverty, intergenerational unemployment, weak schooling outcomes, inadequate mental health services and the breakdown of social institutions that once anchored communities." 

Cachalia has confirmed he has been presented with a “stabilization plan” by the national police commissioner to add more resources in 13 of the worst police precincts.

Regarding a national strategy, Cachalia said that he would be prioritising rebuilding the capacity of the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI or Hawks) to be refocused to deal with organised crime.

Cachalia said the capacity of the DPCI, as an important investigative structure, was not where it should be at the moment.

Three months ago, it was reported that the Hawks were operating with almost half the personnel provided for in its organogram.

The top brass of the directorate told the Standing Committee on Public Accounts that the staff complement stood at 2688, including detectives and support staff, out of the 5332.

Cachalia added: “Although it does have important capabilities, building this capacity is going to be one of my priorities precisely because, as I have indicated on numerous occasions, organised crime is a growing problem.”