CAPE TOWN – The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola, has praised the Western Cape police for their unwavering commitment to detecting, dismantling, and disrupting gang-related activities across the province’s crime hotspots.
Since additional police officers were deployed to Cape Town, ground operations working in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies and key stakeholders have achieved significant progress in disrupting organised gang activity.
Substantial police presence
From 1 April to date, more than 980 officers have been deployed daily to various gang activity hotspots. This deployment comprises 800 police officers from both SAPS and the City of Cape Town, with an additional 182 officers from Head Office. These numbers are in addition to the more than 9 000 officers serving at 62 police stations within the City’s policing precinct.
This collaborative approach has yielded considerable success, including the arrest of 722 suspected gang members from various hotspot areas, including Mitchell’s Plain, Mfuleni, Delft, Bishop Lavis, Tafelsig, Muizenberg, Grassy Park, and Manenberg.
Significant arrests and seizures
Drug-related offences accounted for the largest number of arrests during this period, with a remarkable 54 947 suspects apprehended for drug possession.
Other notable arrests from 1 April 2025 to date include:
• Drug dealing: 2 296 arrests
• Gang-related murders: 96 arrests
• Gang-related attempted murders: 60 arrests
Law enforcement agencies also achieved substantial seizures:
• Firearms confiscated: 1 565
• Rounds of ammunition seized: 39 371
Long-term commitment
General Masemola emphasised the province’s strategic importance, noting that since 2021, SAPS has deployed 2 408 newly trained officers to various units and stations across the Western Cape to strengthen the fight against crime.
“We will continue to prioritise and strengthen capacity in the Western Cape province,” said Masemola. “The support and collaboration of the community play a major role in ensuring that we put an end to gang violence. Through Community Policing Forums and other safety and security structures, SAPS remains committed to forging solid partnerships to end ongoing killings.”
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