{"id":46266,"date":"2024-05-08T11:53:36","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T09:53:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/gangsters-do-not-belong-in-communities-20240506\/"},"modified":"2025-03-19T22:26:17","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T20:26:17","slug":"gangsters-do-not-belong-in-communities-20240506","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/gangsters-do-not-belong-in-communities-20240506\/","title":{"rendered":"Western Cape minister calls for urgent end to violence in Athlone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Partnership policing is the answer to gang tensions in the Athlone area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the main take away from Western Cape Minister for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen at a recent community meeting following the spate of shootings that has claimed the lives of several people and left the community in fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-also-read-athlone-gang-violence-is-unprecedented-as-sporadic-shootings-leave-communities-in-fear-nbsp\">ALSO READ: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news24.com\/news24\/community-newspaper\/peoples-post\/unprecedented-20240429\" target=\"_blank\">Athlone gang-violence is unprecedented as sporadic shootings leave communities in fear&nbsp;<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCommunity engagements are very important to us, as (they) offer residents the opportunity to directly raise their concerns with us. I am grateful to the Athlone community for their robust and insightful engagement,\u201d says Allen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs the Western Cape Government, we continue to engage communities that have experienced sporadic shootings in recent times. We want to ensure that the violence and murders come to an end. We cannot have innocent people like this teenage girl, like the young children in Gugulethu, and many other examples, losing their lives in this manner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He continues that all involved have a collective responsibility to report those responsible for these crimes to ensure convictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey do not belong in our communities as they do not have our best interest at heart. We have ensured that there will now be greater collaboration between Athlone police and the community, and the station commander made it clear that if there are any service-related issues, (they) should be brought to his immediate attention. This is the type of relationship that will ensure that criminality is unable to take root in any area,\u201d says Allen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The City\u2019s safety and security departments are also joining police in fighting crime. \u201cThe City\u2019s Law Enforcement and Metro Police Departments support the South African Police Service as the leading crime prevention authority. Residents can report criminal activities by phoning the City\u2019s Public Emergency Communication Centre on 021 480 7700 from a cell phone and 107 from a landline,\u201d read a statement from the City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Partnership policing is the answer to gang tensions in the Athlone 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Cape Minister for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen says partnership policing is the answer to gang tensions in Athlone. 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government security review","author":"Novus Media","date":"6 December 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Western Cape government calls for stronger coordination after second fatal shooting at Athlone magistrates' court in four months.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Minister Anroux Marais met with Colonel Junaid Alcock.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_5092.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_5092.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_5092.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_5092.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, 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It was always a safe and peaceful community; people were never scared to go out at night\"","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/411b4e9fd330415e85ad026c395a542d.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/411b4e9fd330415e85ad026c395a542d.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/411b4e9fd330415e85ad026c395a542d.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/411b4e9fd330415e85ad026c395a542d.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":300785,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/job-seekers-criticise-athlone-stadium-employment-event-after-chaos\/","url_meta":{"origin":46266,"position":3},"title":"Job seekers criticise Athlone Stadium employment event after chaos","author":"People's Post","date":"17 April 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The city said in a statement Police Public Order Policing made use of a stun grenade to maintain crowd control outside the stadium.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Athlone Stadium Stampede","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ZkbStampede.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ZkbStampede.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ZkbStampede.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ZkbStampede.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ZkbStampede.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":301574,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/anti-gang-unit-arrests-cape-town-firearms\/","url_meta":{"origin":46266,"position":4},"title":"Four arrested as Anti-Gang Unit targets crime hotspots in Cape Town","author":"People's Post","date":"2 May 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Four suspects were arrested by members of the Anti-Gang Unit during several operations conducted in crime hotspot areas across the Cape Metropole on Friday 1 May. 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Provincial police spokesperson Sgt Wesley Twigg said that at one of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"firearm","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/firearm.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/firearm.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/firearm.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/firearm.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/firearm.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":300413,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/gang-related-shootings-rock-salt-river-as-violence-escalates\/","url_meta":{"origin":46266,"position":5},"title":"Gang-related shootings rock Salt River as violence escalates","author":"Kaylynne Bantom","date":"10 April 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Within the span of a month, two people were shot and killed and three others wounded in five separate shooting incidents.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"NovaNews Stock Image","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CRIME_SQUARE-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CRIME_SQUARE-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CRIME_SQUARE-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"People&#039;s Post","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46266","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46266"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46266\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46266"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=46266"},{"taxonomy":"publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication?post=46266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}