Cape Argus E-dition

Western Cape AGU’s vacancy gap a concern

GENEVIEVE SERRA genevieve.serra@inl.co.za

Western Cape Anti-Gang Unit !'5 HAS A VACANCY RATE OF WITH POSITIONS AVAILABLE

With a decrease in gang units on the ground, the Western Cape has as

MANY AS GANGS WITH AN ESTIMATED

MEN BEING PART OF THESE CRIME

world structures.

This is according to Dariusz Dziewanski, an honorary research affiliate at the University of Cape Town’s Centre of Criminology.

)N HIS LATEST REPORT IN HE WROTE h4HERE ARE AS MANY AS GANGS

in Cape Town South Africa. They have the tightest grip on those parts of the city where poverty and insecurity have

PUSHED AN ESTIMATED YOUNG

men and women into a struggle over identity, interpersonal grievances and drug turf.”

Gillion Bosman, MPP, DA Western Cape spokesperson on Community Safety recently approached the South African Police Service, who confirmed that their AGU Unit had a vacancy rate

AND THAT ONLY POSITIONS

were filled.

This is hanging in the balance as the unit is still without a permanent head after the retirement of top cop, Major-General Andre Lincoln last year. Earlier this year Weekend Argus

REPORTED THAT ,INCOLN HAD YEARS OF

service and that unit was formed six years ago.

Colonel Karl Wienand has since been made acting commander.

-INISTER OF 0OLICE /VERSIGHT AND

Community Safety, Reagen Allen, said the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) crime statistics over the four

QUARTERS OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR

indicates that in the Western Cape,

THERE WERE MURDER CASES WHICH HAVE BEEN LINKED TO VIGILANTISM MOB

justice.

Since March this year 26 people have lost their lives in mass shootings in Khayelitsha. Since September 2020,

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FATALLY SHOT IN

Khayelitsha. Sporadic gang shootings have plagued areas such as Manenberg, Hanover Park, Kraaifontein, Lavender Hill, Mitchells Plain and Delft in recent months.

Bosman said he would be writing further letters to the police on the vacancies being filled as the need grows on the ground.

“Even though the vacancy rate

DECREASED FROM TO DURING THE

FINANCIAL YEAR IT HAS REMAINED

constant for the past three financial years with the unit also experiencing a decrease in its operational budget

THIS YEAR /WING TO THE IMPORTANT ROLE

the AGU plays in combating gangsterism in our communities, I will be submitting more written questions to ascertain the reasons for the current vacancies and whether SAPS has any plans to fill them.

“The AGU is made up of members from specialised units with the objective of weakening the capacity of gangs that are active in our country, whilst also disabling the economic activity that is linked to and supports gangsterism. This targeted approach has contributed towards fighting these illegal operations in the crime hotspots found in the Western Cape.”

He added that the constant increase in gang shootings would remain if the situation did not improve with the unit.

“It is concerning that, given the recent flare-ups in murders in crimestricken communities in Cape Town, the current situation of the Anti-Gang

5NIT REMAINS UNCHANGED &OR US TO BE

able to fight crime efficiently and strategically, every structure needs to have the necessary resources and personnel in order to operate effectively.”

He said the introduction of the

2EACTION 5NIT &EBRUARY WAS AN

added tool in combating shootings.

“This unit, operating within the LEAP (law enforcement advancement plan) programme, acts as a force multiplier and assists SAPS when flare-ups in crime take place. As the DA, we look forward to the Reaction Unit being expanded to further boost our efforts to keep our communities safe.”

Police did not respond to Weekend Argus queries.

METRO

en-za

2022-06-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-06-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

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