Cachalia urges police to confront gang leaders who ‘steal young people’ from communities
· Citizen
Acting police minister Firoz Cachalia has asked police management to use all tactics within the law to dismantle violent gangs.
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Cachalia was in Reiger Park on Sunday to address an angry community still reeling from the murder of four people, including two police officers tied to the anti-gang unit, in a mass shooting incident.
Constable Sphiwe Sibeko, Constable Thapelo Tlomatsane and two female civilians were killed on Friday evening in what police have described as an ambush.
The acting minister asked religious groups, sports organisations and civil society groups to band together to help create pathways away from gangsterism.
“We must take hands. The community has to stand up. The leaders of the community have to stand up.
“We need to reclaim our streets, reclaim our communities. Work with the police to end the scourge of gang violence, drug trafficking and drug addiction in our communities,” said Cachalia.
He had a specific warning for gang leaders, and reiterated the message coming from the South African Police Service (Saps) that resources would be focused on catching the perpetrators of Friday’s incident.
“I want to say to those gang leaders, don’t think that that the people of this country are not watching you.
“Don’t think that you can continue to steal young people from their parents, and don’t think you can kill police officers with impunity.
“I have said to the police leadership today that I want them to confront the gangs, and I want our people in Reiger Park to see the police acting under the law to confront the gangs,” Cachalia told the community.
‘They deserve a state that protects them’
The acting minister was part of a delegation that visited the families of Sibeko and Tlomatsane on Sunday.
“The message from police management is clear: those responsible will be pursued relentlessly and brought to justice,” Saps stated.
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) stated that more than just “ceremonial condemnation” was needed to rid communities of gangsterism.
“These deaths once again confront our country with the frightening reality that the very men and women entrusted with confronting violent crime are increasingly themselves becoming targets.
“When those tasked with protecting communities are hunted down while performing their duties, society must recognise that a dangerous line has been crossed,” the union stated.
Popcru urged police management to ensure that the anti-gang units were adequately resourced to fight crime on one of South Africa’s most dangerous fronts.
“Sending officers into these environments without sufficient intelligence, resources and operational support places their lives at unacceptable risk.
“Our members leave their families every day not knowing what dangers they will encounter while protecting the public.
“They deserve a state that protects them, equips them and stands firmly behind them as they carry out their constitutional responsibilities,” the union concluded.