60 law enforcement officers redeployed to Hanover Park in joint operation

The Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, welcomes the redeployment of 60 additional Law Enforcement Advancement Programme (LEAP) Law Enforcement Officers (LEO) appointed through the Western Cape Safety Plan to quell the latest spate of gang related violence in Hanover Park. The LEOs have been deployed to assist SAPS in a joint operation.

The deployment follows Minister Fritz’s meeting with the local Councilor, Antonio van der Rheede and the Station Commander, Colonel Fredericks on Friday in Hanover Park amid gang violence. During the meeting, Colonel Fredericks outlined his station’s safety plan to quell violence. Minister Fritz further committed LEOs who have contributed significantly towards the decrease in violence over the past weekend.

Minister Fritz attended and delivered a keynote address at an event held today by Councilor van der Rheede to acknowledge the joint efforts of SAPS, LEAP LEOs, Neighbourhood Watches and Walking Busses in ensuring the safety of residents in Hanover Park.

Minister Fritz said, “I wish to commend all actors who have played and are playing a role in ensuring the safety of residents in the province. Going forward, I will be meeting with the Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Matakata on the spate of shootings that we have seen in Hanover Park, as well as Joe Slovo and Ravensmead.”

Minister Fritz continued, “In particular, I wish to commend SAPS and the LEOs deployed through the Western Cape Safety Plan which have contributed significantly to towards the stabilization of Hanover Park over the past weekend. Violence and gangsterism has no place in our society and we not tolerate or condone it. I have called on residents to report known criminal elements who disrupt the safety of their community.”

Minister Fritz further continued, “I am determined to ensure that the Law Enforcement effort as seen here today will be closely linked with a comprehensive Violence Prevention component. Violence Prevention is about working together with all role-players, including parents, schools, NGOs, faith based organisations and local government to ensure that we permanently stop the violence plaguing our communities from happening i­­n the first place. We will particularly work with young people to ensure that they have access to different kinds of opportunities that will show them a path away from violence, apathy and possible gang influence and involvement. In the coming months we will work together with SAPS, LEAP, and Law Enforcement to implement this integrated violence prevention interventions on a sustained basis.”

“In another matter, I wish to commend the prosecution and investigation team on the conviction of a prominent leader in the Terrible Josters and five other gang members. Judge Rogers in his sentence today made scathing remarks concerning the scourge of gang related crimes when sentencing four of the six accused to life imprisonment for murder and the remaining two for attempted murder and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition to 11 years and 10 years respectively. This is another win and positive step towards a violence free society,” said Minister Fritz.