Cops clamp down on Cape gangs

2003-04-01 23:26

Carel van Dyk

Cape Town - Air force helicopters were used on Tuesday to deploy hundreds of armed members of the security forces in a new campaign to clamp down on crime and violence in the Cape's gang-ridden areas.

This action marks the start of Operation Sethunya (firearm) that aims to confiscate illegal firearms countrywide.

Witnesses told how gangsters fled from police to bury their guns.

Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula stressed that the campaign would focus on gang-related activities in the Western Cape. This comes after five children died and two others were wounded in gang violence in the Peninsula during the past month.

The gang-ridden areas of, among others, Mitchell's Plain, Manenberg, Elsies River, Atlantis, Ravensmead, Grassy Park and Steenberg, teemed with police vehicles and the noise of air force helicopters after about 500 members of the police, defence force and metro police were deployed.

Surprise roadblocks were erected on street corners and shebeens and suspect venues raided.

Nqakula, Leonard Ramatlakane, Western Cape MEC for community safety, and Justice Minister Ben Skosana personally patrolled the street with police.

"The message we are sending out to law-abiding citizens is that we want to take back the streets from the gangs. We want to create a safe environment where children can grow up in peaceful, stable conditions," Nqakula said.

Only the start

A hunting rifle with a telescope, a shotgun and an imitation Uzzi submachine gun were among the weapons confiscated.

Western Cape premier Marthinus van Schalkwyk said this action was only the start of the campaign to eradicate gangs in the area.

During a pre-operation raid on Monday morning, 178 people, wanted by police for crimes such as robbery, murder and rape, were arrested.

Nqakula said residents in these areas were ready to provide police with information on gang activities. "We believe that we will be more successful in curbing gang activities because the residents know where the gangs are hiding."

He said it was remarkable to see how many houses belonged to drug lords, who used these properties exclusively for dealing drugs, while so many people were homeless.

Nqakula told community leaders that the police's gang unit was disbanded to make more officers available on grassroots level. He said the current legal system did not make provision for gang-related crimes, but that these people would be treated as ordinary criminals under the law.

- Die Burger