Cape town: The National Police Commissioner General, Fannie Masemola, has affirmed the commitment of the Western Cape police to intensify efforts in detecting, dismantling, and dislodging gang-related activity in hotspot areas throughout the province.
According to South African Government News Agency, the deployment of additional police officers to the City of Cape Town, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies and key stakeholders, has led to significant progress in disrupting organized gang activities. From April 1st to date, over 980 officers have been stationed daily in various hotspots known for gang activities. This includes 800 police officers from both the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the City of Cape Town, along with an additional 182 officers from head office. These deployments supplement the existing force of more than 9,000 officers serving at 62 police stations within the City of Cape Town policing precinct.
General Masemola highlighted the success of these efforts, noting the arrest of 722 gang members from hotspot areas such as Mitchell’s Plain, Mfuleni, Delft, Bishop Lavis, Tafelsig, Muizenberg, Grassy Park, and Manenberg. The majority of these arrests involved individuals in possession of drugs, with a notable 54,947 suspects apprehended for this crime.
The period from April 1, 2025, to the present has seen significant arrests and confiscations, including 2,296 cases of drug dealing, 96 gang-related murders, and 60 gang-related attempted murders. Additionally, law enforcement has seized 1,565 firearms and 39,371 rounds of ammunition.
Since 2021, the deployment of 2,408 newly trained officers to various units and stations across the Western Cape has bolstered the fight against crime. General Masemola emphasized the importance of community support and collaboration in ending gang violence. Through Community Policing Forums (CPF) and other safety and security structures, SAPS remains dedicated to forming strong partnerships to put an end to ongoing killings.