New path to fight gang violence, organised crime

THE MASS shootings of young people in impoverished areas, along with targeted assassinations of professionals, is becoming all too regular.

- GARETH NEWHAM

In most of these killings, organised criminal networks appear to be at play. Indeed, organised crime has increasingly emerged as an existential threat to the chance of South Africa becoming a successful and prosperous nation.

As is well known, the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and the Ad Hoc Committee in Parliament have been established to investigate the extent to which organised criminality has infected our criminal justice system. This followed allegations of this nature by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkwhanazi.

In addition to this, the Cabinet has determined that extraordinary measures need to be taken to tackle the many threats posed by organised crime. Gang violence in the Western Cape is a longstanding example of this threat.

While long linked to drug dealing, illegal gambling and the nightlife economy, Western Cape gangs have branched out to an ever-widening range of criminal activities. They are also becoming linked into national and transnational organised crime networks.

Gang bosses, their associates and enablers have become increasingly rich and powerful. This enables them to pass themselves off as successful and legitimate business owners, while their real objectives are to infiltrate government procurement processes, hijack public infrastructure projects, and influence political processes.

The recently announced plan to tackle gang violence in the Western Cape and other provinces is therefore a necessary and important development.

The plan, developed under the joint leadership of the Ministers of Justice and Constitutional Development and Police, recognises that this crisis not only requires national-level resources and coordination, but a far more targeted and multi-agency approach than has been attempted to date.