In response to a recent surge in shooting incidents across Cape Town, police have intensified their presence with more than 145 police officers in identified hot spots since Sunday afternoon.
The bolstered deployment comprises members from various units, including the Anti-Gang Unit, Tactical Response Teams, Operation Lockdown II, Operation Restore, and Public Order Police. These units have been deployed to execute operations, conduct search and seizures, stop and search operations, roadblocks, raids, and tracing operations in targeted areas.
Their intervention followed a spike observed in shooting incidents, with several murder and attempted murders cases registered after a significant number of individuals were shot in Mitchells Plain, Bishop Lavis, Philippi, Ravensmead and Elsies River.
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said: “With other law enforcement agencies such as the City of Cape Town’s metro police, LEAP officials and scores of community volunteers, the SAPS is on high alert and determined to restore calm in the identified hot spots.
“Recently, capacity at the provincial Anti-Gang Unit was enhanced by 47 members and an additional 100 members from Operation Lockdown II came from other provinces to assist in reducing serious violent crimes in Cape Town. In a co-ordinated manner, armed with intelligence, they execute operational actions where it is most required. On Sunday evening a contingent deployed in Elsies River apprehended a 50-year-old suspect and confiscated 50 9mm rounds of ammunition and over 400 mandrax tablets. In that operation the arresting officials came under attack from community members and shots were fired. The matter is the subject of an Ipid investigation.”
Meanwhile, provincial police added that on Monday at about 8.45am, members of Lentegeur Detectives Serious and Violent Crimes Unit searched a group of suspected gang members and found an unlicensed firearm, 16 rounds of ammunition, 18 and a half mandrax tablets and an undisclosed amount of cash on one of the suspects.
The suspect was arrested and will appear in the Mitchells Plain Magistrate’s Court on charges related to the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition as well as drugs on Wednesday.
Cape Times