Western Cape police ramp up operations in response to rising violence
Image: Mandilakhe Tshwete
Western Cape police intensified their operations this week in response to a surge in murder and attempted murder cases in Cape Town, visiting precincts affected by recent mass shootings.
On Tuesday afternoon, officers walked from Steenberg to Sea Winds along Military Road, stopping vehicles as part of their operation.
During the searches, a man was arrested after police found a gas gun and small packets of dagga inside his car.
A gun and dagga were found during a stop-and-search on Military Road in Steenberg.
Image: Mandilakhe Tshwete
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Provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile said the management of SAPS in the Western Cape had resolved to adopt a range of interventions after the latest shooting incidents.
He said cordon and search operations would be carried out in identified hotspots, describing the exercise as intense and disruptive but necessary.
'This entails taking proper control of an identified area within a specified period. Residents may have to wait long to access public places, with exceptions only made in emergencies,' he said.
He added that lockdown operations would also be enforced depending on the threat at hand, with multidisciplinary teams targeting illegal firearms, ammunition, drugs, wanted suspects, and other illicit activities.
'It begs mentioning that in the triple murder that occurred in the Xakabantu informal settlement in Muizenberg, a key person of interest has been identified and is currently being sought,' Patekile said.
According to police analysis, many of the murders and attempted murders stem from conflict within a specific gang, compounded by the prevalence of illegal firearms.
'On average, SAPS confiscates 40 to 60 firearms per week. Since the beginning of the current financial year, approximately 910 arrests were effected for illegal firearms and ammunition. Through targeted operations, a total of 842 illegal firearms and numerous rounds of ammunition were seized,' he said.
Patekile emphasised that while progress had been made, the scale of the problem required an integrated response involving communities, law enforcement agencies, and all spheres of government.
He also addressed recent questions about SAPS K-9 units, saying that while attrition had reduced numbers, steps were being taken to replenish the service.
Four narcotics dogs are currently undergoing training in Pretoria, two of which will be deployed to Cape Town and the others to the Garden Route and Cape Winelands districts. Two patrol dogs are also in training.
Responding to reports about limited Flying Squad resources, Patekile denied claims that only two vehicles were available over the weekend.
'Eight vehicles were posted at strategic locations in Cape Town with 16 members who reported for duty on Saturday evening.'
Speaking about the recent shootings, Patekile noted that the attacks were often targeted and linked to people who knew each other.
'When the shooting was happening in Xakabantu, the first one was in the early hours of the morning when it was still dark and there was no electricity in the informal settlement. The second was later, again directed at specific homes. That tells us these are people who know each other. Environmental design plays a role too; in many settlements, there are no roads and no lights, making them difficult to police.'
While police pledged to intensify operations, residents expressed relief at seeing officers in their neighbourhood.
Resident, Wesley Amos, said: 'I was surprised to see a lot of police in the area. Though the shootings have subsided, they sometimes go up. It is a good thing to see that they are here. At night, when it is quiet, you can hear guns going crazy. We would appreciate having them here for longer than just a week or two.'
Another resident, who asked not to be named, said the shootings left many afraid to go about their daily life.
'We have children who have to go to school. They shoot in the morning and the afternoons when the kids are coming back home. It is really great to see the police coming into our area. It had been a long time since we last saw something like this.'
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za
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