A fortune spent on Anti-Gang Unit, so why is violence still raging? We interview top gang buster Jeremy Vearey...

CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit speaks to Jeremy Vearey, former head of detectives in the Western Cape and current head of the police anti-gang unit in the province.

Listen below:

It was launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in gang-ridden Hanover Park in 2018 as a specialised unit designed to combat gang violence and related criminal activities.

In the last five years, the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) has received over R100 million from the government, and yet residents in areas affected by gangs and gang violence still live in fear. 

With so much money being poured into the problem, shouldn’t we be seeing a drop in violence?

Or, asks Kiewit, is the real issue how those funds are used and, specifically, whether they’re being invested in effective intelligence operations to outsmart well-armed gangs?

Vearey says part of the problem stems from the initial setup of the unit.

ALSO READ: Devil’s work: Criminologist discusses rise of South Africa’s occult gangs

"It was given a name, but all it was was an ad hoc operational response since the time it was launched."

- Jeremy Vearey

"On the very day of the launch, this debate about unit or task team was still evident... as the President was on the podium... we were waiting for the signing off of it becoming a unit, but it was not."

- Jeremy Vearey

As such, says Vearey, in terms of treasury regulation, SAPS expenditure structures, budgets can only be allocated and given to units which are recognised on the PERSAL system.

"Permanent, returning expenditure can only be given to a unit that is recognised on the PERSAL system."

- Jeremy Vearey

Veary says it's important to look at the budget allocation and ask 'what makes up the expenditure?'

"What was it? Because it's not as straightforward as to say this lump sum of money went entirely to the gang unit."

- Jeremy Vearey

Scroll up to the audio player to hear Jeremy Vearey talking about the effectiveness of the AGU.

ALSO READ: Cape Flats school builds massive wall to shield students from gang violence