Western Cape Premier Helen Zille has backed Police Minister Fikile Mbalula’s call for military intervention in Cape Town’s most violent communities.
But in a statement on Wednesday‚ she said Mbalula could not absolve himself and the police from their constitutional mandate.
“We reiterate our calls for minister Mbalula to immediately reinstate the specialised gang units‚ which were disbanded several years ago with no explanation‚” said Zille.
“This would serve as a permanent force in gang-ridden areas. How much longer should communities wait for this given President Zuma’s promise in early 2016 to reinstate the units?”
On Tuesday evening‚ Mbalula said he had requested the support of the South African National Defence Force to combat crime in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
“Stabilisation and combatting of these criminal activities are within the mandate of the South African Police Service but due to the large groupings and military training of some of the perpetrators‚ the SANDF is requested to assist‚” he said.
On Monday‚ Zille said she would ask her cabinet to request SANDF intervention in the fight against gangs‚ adding that police under-resourcing was “the biggest driver of the safety crisis in parts of the province”.
She repeated her criticism on Wednesday‚ saying half of murders in the Western Cape happened in 7% of policing precincts — “the same areas where police resources are lacking”.
She said deployment of soldiers would provide short-term stabilisation in areas with high gang activity. But “the minister cannot simply absolve himself and the SAPS from their constitutional mandate. There remains the need for a permanent solution to deal with violent crime in the Western Cape.
“It is unfathomable that SAPS plan to cut 3‚000 police officers from the Western Cape at a time when police to population ratios are soaring well above the national average.”
Community safety MEC Dan Plato said: “Communities in the Western Cape will not be appeased by more empty promises. The national police leadership need to address the systemic problems in what is essentially their responsibility and mandate.”
Source: TMG Digital.
Troops aren't the long-term solution to Cape violence‚ Zille tells Mbalula
But in a statement on Wednesday‚ she said Mbalula could not absolve himself and the police from their constitutional mandate.
“We reiterate our calls for minister Mbalula to immediately reinstate the specialised gang units‚ which were disbanded several years ago with no explanation‚” said Zille.
“This would serve as a permanent force in gang-ridden areas. How much longer should communities wait for this given President Zuma’s promise in early 2016 to reinstate the units?”
On Tuesday evening‚ Mbalula said he had requested the support of the South African National Defence Force to combat crime in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
“Stabilisation and combatting of these criminal activities are within the mandate of the South African Police Service but due to the large groupings and military training of some of the perpetrators‚ the SANDF is requested to assist‚” he said.
On Monday‚ Zille said she would ask her cabinet to request SANDF intervention in the fight against gangs‚ adding that police under-resourcing was “the biggest driver of the safety crisis in parts of the province”.
She repeated her criticism on Wednesday‚ saying half of murders in the Western Cape happened in 7% of policing precincts — “the same areas where police resources are lacking”.
She said deployment of soldiers would provide short-term stabilisation in areas with high gang activity. But “the minister cannot simply absolve himself and the SAPS from their constitutional mandate. There remains the need for a permanent solution to deal with violent crime in the Western Cape.
“It is unfathomable that SAPS plan to cut 3‚000 police officers from the Western Cape at a time when police to population ratios are soaring well above the national average.”
Community safety MEC Dan Plato said: “Communities in the Western Cape will not be appeased by more empty promises. The national police leadership need to address the systemic problems in what is essentially their responsibility and mandate.”
Source: TMG Digital.
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