The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police Ian Cameron says the joint operation between the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and police deployed in some parts of the country has not yet yielded the desired results on the Cape Flats.
Early this year, SANDF was deployed in some provinces to assist police to fight crime, gang violence and illegal mining.
Cameron’s remarks follow the latest scourge of the killings in some townships in Cape Town.
Recently, the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP) wrote a Parliamentary question to Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia asking about the reasons for the continued killings despite the joint operation.
Cameron says the joint operations especially in gang-infested areas are not producing positive outcomes as expected.
“It clearly shows that haphazard approach of patrolling with one or two additional military vehicles and haphazardly stopping at properties for stop and search operations has not really made much of an impact. Here and there we have seen seizure of firearms, especially specifically of firearms and some drugs but not nearly on the scale that is needed to real disturbed or destabilized gang and violent crimes activity in these organised plagued areas.”
MKP member of Parliament Zibuse Cele also says the continued brutal killings in the Cape Flats indicates that the joint deployment is not winning the fight.
Cele says he did not get the sufficient answers in his Parliamentary question from Cachalia regarding the reasons behind these killings happening despite the deployment of the soldiers.
African National Congress (ANC) MP, Samuel Moela has defended the joint operation deployed in Cape Town.
“The Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia has rightly stated that this is not a magic bullet, but its already yielding results through arrests, firearm recoveries and enhance visibility in hot spots in the western cape particularly. Despite the recent tragic shootings.”
The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) Deputy President Wayne Thring says it is clear that the deployment is not working.
“While we appreciate the dedication of many of our police and soldiers serving under the difficult circumstances, the reality is that the current strategy is not achieving the desired outcomes. Criminal gangs remain well armed. Intelligence gathering is inadequate. Detective services are overstretched.”
In his response to the Parliamentary question, Cachalia says while the police and soldiers are on the ground enforcing the law, the reduction of violent crime requires a coordinated and sustained efforts by various government institutions, civil society, communities and the private sector.
