Targeted police operations in crime hotspot areas across the Cape Metropole have led to the confiscation of firearms and the arrest of four suspects.
According to Western Cape police spokesperson Sgt Wesley Twigg, members of the Anti-Gang Unit conducted several operations on Friday (1 May) in crime hotspot areas in the Cape Metropole.
“They confiscated firearms and arrested suspects for the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.”
In Lavender Hill, officers searched three premises in Eltister Road.
“At the one premises the members found and confiscated a 9mm pistol with 61 rounds of ammunition and at another premises they found a .38 Special revolver with an assortment of ammunition,” said Twigg.
During this operation three suspects, aged 20, 24 and 28 years were arrested.
“The suspects will appear in the Wynberg Magistrates’ court on Monday, 04 May on the mentioned charges,” he added.
In a separate operation in Hanover Park, police searched a premises in Athburg Walk. Officers confiscated a 9mm pistol, with no serial number, and seven rounds of ammunition.
“They arrested a 29-year-old male who will appear in the Athlone Magistrates’ court on Monday, 04 May,” said Twigg.
Meanwhile, in KwaZulu-Natal, police are investigating a fatal shooting incident involving community patrollers.
Col Robert Netshiunda, a spokesperson for the KwaZulu-Natal police, said four counts of murder are being probed following a shooting in Bhambayi, Inanda, just before midnight on Friday (1 May).
“Information available at this stage suggests that a group of community patrollers were patrolling along Nohohwana Skeke Street when they came across three men whom they suspected of committing robberies in the area,” he said.
According to Netshiunda an altercation allegedly broke out, which led to the exchange of gunfire between the community patrollers and the alleged suspects.
“Two people, a community patroller and an alleged suspect died at the scene. Two more community patrollers succumbed to their gunshot wounds in hospital.”
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has since urged community crime-fighting structures to work closely with police.
“We encourage active community participation in the fight against crime, it is the only way that we can win the fight against crime, however, community structures like the Community Police Forum (CPF) and other supplementary structures must be the eyes and ears of the police and never take actions that may endanger their lives,” he said.
Mkhwanazi added: “We have seen criminals shooting at police officers, meaning that they will never think twice before shooting at a civilian. We are calling upon leaders of all community crime fighting structures to align themselves with the provisions of the Constitution of the CPF and participate in crime fighting initiatives in a controlled and legal manner.”
