THE metro’s anti-gang unit recently received 10 new police vehicles in an effort to clampdown on gang activity in the city’s northern areas.
The Premier of the Eastern Cape, Oscar Mabuyane, handed over the vehicles, following a visit to Arcadia Secondary School and Strelitzia Primary School last week.
The community closed one of these schools recently in a protest over gang violence and the Education Department’s alleged failure to erect a fence to improve safety.
According to Mabuyane, the provincial government is declaring a war on gangsterism and violence in the area.
“Residents in the community live in fear because of the constant gang-affiliated violence. Also, they are being intimidated by gangsters and do not come forward with information.
“We have to take a stand, but the police cannot do it alone. We are appealing to the community to come forward to protect all young people,” Mabuyane said.
Three learners from Strelitzia Primary School have lost their lives in recent years due to gang violence in the area.
One of the residents said that they are pleading for state intervention.
He added, “The government has to do more. We cannot live in constant fear of these gangsters. Lives are being lost in our community.
“We are grateful for the deployment of the anti-gang unit and hope they will be more visible now that they have more vehicles.”
Mabuyane has assured the communities in the northern areas that there will be an increase in police visibility.
The provincial government has also committed itself to effect change in the area through a multidisciplinary approach.
The Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga, said the vehicles were part of a commitment to keep the community safe.
In addition, the new unit had already deployed 150 members from various police stations.
“We will be much more visible now and patrol door-to-door, corner-to-corner and street-to-street,” Ntshinga said.
“When the children go to school in the mornings and go home in the afternoons, we will patrol the streets. That is where the community will find us.
“We are here to serve and protect.
“The PE flying squad also received three additional vehicles from provincial government and we are extremely grateful,” Ntshinga said.
According to Mabuyane, the current policing services in the city is sufficient and there is no need for military deployment.
This sparked a protest in the city’s northern areas a day after Mabuyane’s visit when approximately 1 000 residents caused havoc by burning tyres and throwing stones at motorists.
Netwerk24 reported that the frustrated residents protested due to the lack of feedback from Police Minister Bheki Cele, who had promised to build a new police station in the area.
In addition, the residents have been appealing for military deployment in the northern areas.
Cele recently deployed the military to crime-ridden areas in Cape Town to deal with an upsurge of gang violence.
