Parliament, Monday, 19 August 2024 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Mr Ian Cameron, has sent a letter to the National Commissioner of Police General Fannie Masemola requesting to get an update on the internal investigation following the 17 March 2022 Judgement by Daniel Thulare that raised serious concerns of possible infiltration of the South African Police Service by gangs in the Western Cape.
Following the assurance made on 1 December 2023 to the 6th Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police, the internal investigation has been long standing and assertions made in that judgement has far reaching impact on the credibility of the SAPS to deal effectively with gang violence in the area. “The continued violence and murders in the Cape Flats and the lethargic response by the SAPS seem to give credence to the assertions made in the Thulare Judgement. The finalisation of that investigation and the prosecution of officers identified to have worked with the gangs is necessary to curtail the violence in the area,” Mr Cameron said.
He raised alarm at the continued gang violence in the Cape Flats where this weekend alone a number of incidents of murder and attempted murder happened. The continued violence in the Cape Flats requires a coordinated, proactive and intelligence led interventions.
“The violence in the Cape Flats this past weekend is symptomatic of the deficiencies within the SAPS operations in the area which require reimagination of the interventions to ensure safety and security of the people of the area. It is simply unacceptable and unfair for the people of the Cape Flats that they continue to be subjected to lethargic, haphazard approaches currently followed by the SAPS in the area. The finalisation of that investigation will assist to root out rogue elements within the SAPS and give the people hope that operations to deal effectively with gang violence are being implemented,” Mr Cameron said.
While Mr Cameron highlighted that there is no single solution to the violence, he emphasised that currently the SAPS are seemingly operating without a tangible intelligence led strategy, minimal proactive and limited disruptive and deterrence operations in the area that has led to a dangerous environment conducive for criminal activity. “The Thulare Judgement that highlighted the possible infiltration of the SAPS by gangs in the Western Cape has not been responded to adequately by SAPS management and this directly impacts in the morale of the ethical police officers in the area. Furthermore, the lack of intelligence operatives undermines the work of the SAPS in the area,” Mr Cameron said. As a result, Mr Cameron is of the considered view that an update on the investigation is necessary and that the SAPS management must put plans in place to disrupt the scourge of crime in the area.
Meanwhile, Mr Cameron is concerned by the brutal killing of six people in Umlazi township outside Durban on Saturday. The scourge of murders in the country highlighted the concern with the proliferation of illegal firearms countrywide. The majority of murders are perpetrated using illegal firearms and the SAPS management must intensify operations aimed at removing these firearms from the streets.
The Chairperson has called on the SAPS management to intensify investigations to ensure that perpetrators of these heinous crimes are arrested and prosecuted.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON POLICE, MR IAN CAMERON
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