Bolstering police presence in Cape Town’s gangsterism hotspots yields positive results

CAPE TOWN - The City of Cape Town says the recent addition of more boots on the ground in gang hotspots has yielded positive results.

The municipality says more law enforcement officers are deployed in areas like Manenberg and Lavender Hill following flare ups in gang violence.

Mayco Member for Safety and Security JP Smith said additional police reinforcements were also sent to areas like Delft, where a murder suspect was nabbed in possession of a bloodied knife over the weekend.

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Smith added that another suspect was arrested in Mfuleni for possession of a fake firearm.

He said in the past week law, enforcement officers also recovered eight illegal firearms and arrested six suspects in separate incidents.

 "While the city is pursuing every possible way to support communities being affected by gang violence, we cannot replace the role that the South African Police Services' should play. The Constitution and national government assign the constitutional duties and budget for crime prevention to them."