More than 700 arrests made in Cape Town’s gang hot spots so far this year

30 August 2016 - 18:13 By Deneesha Pillay

The Gang and Drug Task Team (GDTT) in Cape Town have arrested more than 700 suspects in 2016 so far‚ the City said on Tuesday. According to the City‚ the GDTT‚ along with the Stabilisation Unit‚ arrested 716 suspects in Cape Town’s gang hot spots including Philippi‚ Manenberg‚ Steenberg‚ Bishop Lavis and Delft.Of the arrested suspects‚ 542 were caught in possession of drugs.Officers also confiscated 20 firearms‚ three zip guns‚ 350 rounds of ammunition‚ over R180‚000 in cash and 12‚953 units of drugs‚ the City added.“When one considers that the City controls only 3% of policing resources in Cape Town‚ then these statistics are a very good reflection of the commitment and dedication of our enforcement staff.“This also squashes any perceptions that the City is not pulling its weight in the fight against crime – in spite of the fact that it is not our primary responsibility but that of the South African Police Service‚" Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security‚ Jean-Pierre Smith said.The GDTT comprises Metro Police‚ Traffic Services and Law Enforcement members.The GDTT and the Stabilisation Unit operate autonomously‚ but also in conjunction with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other City departments where necessary‚ the City said.“The task team’s success is the result of the commitment‚ dedication and persistence of its members‚ combined with a multi-disciplinary approach to gang and drug-related offences that doesn’t focus on enforcement only‚ but also the root causes.“It’s not all smooth sailing though‚ because we’re up against some communities that close ranks around the gangsters and drug dealers and then have the temerity to complain about the ongoing violence.“Access to crime statistics and trends from the SAPS is another challenge‚ but as our network of informers grows‚ so too does the City’s crime intelligence dossier‚” Smith added...

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