Lentegeur police recovered a large cache of guns and ammo yesterday.
Provincial MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais issued a statement saying an “intelligence-driven operation” led to the recovery of 19 illegal firearms and approximately 1 500 rounds of ammunition from a house in Lentegeur.
“This significant seizure is a major step forward in our ongoing fight against gang-related violence, which continues to plague too many communities,” she said.
Marais said guns remained the weapon of choice in gang conflicts.
Over the weekend there were several gang shootouts in neighbouring Beacon Valley.
In one shooting a 6-year-old girl was shot in the arm in a drive-by.
Three men were also injured in two separate shootouts.
Mitchell’s Plain Police Station commander Brig Brian Muller said both shootings were gang-related.
Marais said: “The widespread access to illegal guns and ammunition empowers these criminal networks to carry deadly attacks out with devastating consequences. Every illegal firearm taken off our streets is one less tool of terror in the hands of gangsters. The trauma inflicted by these weapons is felt deeply, and operations such as this show what can be achieved when intelligence and decisive action come together.”
The Lentegeur Community Policing Forum (CPF) chair, Michael Jacobs, commended the station on the recovery.
“This will go a long way in stemming the tide of killings within the broader Mitchell’s Plain area and instilling trust in the police,” he said.
Marais added: “I urge the police to trace the origin of these weapons and expose the networks and individuals responsible for distributing them. It is vital that this investigation leads to arrests and prosecutions. Only through effective legal action can we send a clear message to gangs: your reign of terror will not be tolerated, and there will be consequences for those who continue to threaten the lives and livelihoods of our people.”
Western Cape police announced that since 1 April this year, law enforcement operations have resulted in the arrest of more than 55 000 suspects across various criminal activities.
Gang-related violence, a persistent challenge in the region, has seen focused attention with 679 murder suspects and 684 attempted murder suspects taken into custody. These arrests represent a significant step forward in addressing the violence that has plagued many communities.
The province’s commitment to removing dangerous weapons from the streets has also yielded impressive results. Police operations have successfully confiscated 9 178 dangerous weapons and seized 880 illegal firearms in this period.
