Cops don iron fist for gangs
2003-03-14 13:09
Cape Town - Western Cape police mounted operations targeting the gang heartland across the Cape Flats on Friday, hours after a fourth child fell victim to gang violence.
Senior superintendent Denise Brand said a number of people had been arrested since early Friday morning in the blitz, dubbed "Operation Slasher".
She said provincial commissioner Lennit Max led a contingent of 500 police, metro police and traffic police into gang areas.
Streets were cordoned off while police conducted searches and set up roadblocks.
The operation followed the death of 10-year-old Desmone Smith who was hit in the head by a stray bullet while playing outside her home in Kalksteenfontein on Thursday night.
She was taken to Tygerberg Hospital, but died early on Friday morning.
She was the fourth child to have fallen victim to gang violence in a week.
Last Friday, Tyrone Steenkamp, 6, was killed by a stray bullet while playing outside his home in Ravensmead.
On Saturday, Onelda Bosman, 12, was shot dead in Nyanga when rival gangs opened fire on each other.
Miquela Appollis, 9, was shot dead in Steenberg on Tuesday when she was caught in crossfire while walking home.
- SAPA