There’s a flicker of hope for crime-ridden areas in the Western Cape. Since the beginning of December to Thursday, the province has recorded the lowest murder figures in five years. That’s according to Police Minister, Bheki Cele.
He visited various areas in Cape Town as part of the Safer Festive Season operation, Zizojika Izinto (things will change).
New police recruits have formed part of the additional 1 000 strong contingents deployed to the Western Cape to curb crime. Cele says they are not losing the fight.
”We are not losing the fight; we have not given the fighter victory. But for the first time in five years, the same period we have experienced the down trend both murder and attempted murder. So we are saying we are not losing when we have turned the tide.”
The minister’s visit comes on the eve of the funeral of five-year-old Valentino Grootetjie who was shot and killed in an alleged gang shooting in Lavender Hill last week. Cele says they have to respond quickly.
”Even if the wars were fought, women and children are not spared. We have to respond quickly.”
Two people have since been arrested for his murder.
The police minister also visited the Nyanga Taxi Rank. 289 murders were reported at Nyanga police station in the last financial year; the highest in the country.
There was mixed reaction to Cele’s visit, but he remains confident that there is progress in the fight against crime in the province.
Since Operation Lockdown in July which saw the army rolling into gang-ridden areas on the Cape Flats, more than 2 600 people have been arrested and more than 1 000 firearms confiscated.
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