-
Bullets seen at a crime scene.
Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu says government and the South African Police Service are implementing new plans and strategies to combat gun-related crimes in the country.
This after three members of the Witwatersrand African Taxi Association (Wata) were shot and killed in Mofolo, Soweto, yesterday morning.
Mchunu was speaking to the media ahead of the inaugural National Policing Summit in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni.
Mchunu raised concerns about the infiltration of illegal guns into communities.
“But we are also worried about the easy availability of illegal firearms and drugs in our country. We are working very hard to reduce organised crime, as this is the main contributor to crime levels in this country. Additionally, we believe we can substantially minimize, if not to eliminate all together gang-related violence in this country. Of late, we know of the increases in kidnapping, extortions, CIT and stock theft,” says Mchunu.
Police Summit gets under way in Kempton Park:
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has bemoaned the ongoing taxi-related violence that has so far claimed about 30 lives since last month across the province.
Lesufi was addressing delegates at the start of the three-day police summit underway in Kempton Park in Ekurhuleni.
Lesufi has asked the presidency to swiftly intervene in a bid to end the ongoing taxi violence in the province.
“Also, president, we cannot allow taxi association and bosses to do as they wish in our province. Yesterday alone, three people were gunned down, bringing to 30 people who were killed in the last month alone in our province. This is enough president. We need to demonstrate to them who’s the boss in this country. Our law enforcement are the bosses and only need firepower to tackle this matter,” says Lesufi.
Willem Els weighs in on the Police Summit underway:
Meanwhile, the City of Ekurhuleni has deployed members of the Metropolitan Police Department to monitor reported acts of intimidation between taxi associations and scholar transport operators.
This after the City received concerning complaints from scholar transport operators regarding acts of intimidation and interference from members of taxi associations operating in the Northern Region of the Ekurhuleni.
The office of the MMC for Roads and Transport, Andile Mngwevu has condemned these acts.
“MMC Mngwevu has urged anyone involved in such acts to refrain from any acts of intimidation towards the scholar transport operators with immediate effect and maintain a respectful and considerate atmosphere for the safety of the industry and the children that are being transported. Mngwevu added that the City of Ekurhuleni and its provincial counterparts are committed to the peaceful movement of their people. The city has also called for cooperation amongst taxi associations and scholar transport operators,” says Mngwevu.
