Minister of Police Bheki Cele during a press briefing on the presidential proclamation authorising SIU to investigate corruption allegations against the office of the State Attorney at the GCIS Pressroom, 14 August 2018, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles
In the continued effort to dislodge and weaken the capacity of gangs – with the aim of disrupting the criminal economy linked to gangsterism, drugs, firearm supply lines, and other identified commodities – President Cyril Ramaphosa and Police Minister Bheki Cele will travel to Cape Town on Friday to launch the anti-gang unit in Hanover Park.
Police ministry spokesperson Reneilwe Serero said in a statement: “The Anti-Gang Unit [which is made up of members from specialised units] has been in operation from 8 October 2018, deployed in Nyanga cluster, Bonteheuwel, and Bishop Lavis. The unit will continue to be in full operation in the Peninsula area until communities in the greater Western Cape experience a return to normality.”
Serero said the president’s participation in the Hanover Park launch indicates his commitment and the commitment of the government at large to ensure that communities are able to live in safety while criminals are subjected to the full might of the law.
According to SA Gov News, Cele and national police commissioner General Khehla Sitole will launch the National Safer Festive Season Crime-Fighting campaign in Port Elizabeth today with a focus on visible policing and conducting special crime awareness and prevention operations.
SA Gov News reports: “This year’s campaign, also referred to as ‘Quiet Storm’, is aimed at making South Africa a safe place during the festive season. Police officers across the country will conduct safety operations until January 2019.”
South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo said: “The Safer Festive Season campaign will also focus on combatting aggravated robberies, crimes against women and children, enhancement of border security, enforcement of the Liquor and Second-hand Goods Acts, enforcement of bylaws, road safety, as well as activities to combat the proliferation of illegal firearms.”
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