According to Mazibuko, car hijackings are rampant in the Vosloorus, Katlehong and Kathorus area.
“Cars get hijacked everywhere and dumped here. It tells you that there is a syndicate that works from this area that steals cars — whether there are buyers, we don't know,” she said.
Mazibuko said building communities had become a key focus. She said there were many hostels in the area without proper community governance infrastructure. Criminals hid in hostels as there was no one to reprimand them, she said.
“Indunas that are in the hostel, they tell us that they are even afraid to reprimand a person because that person will tell you, 'I will find you at home.'
“It's one of the things to say, that if we are to create a safety plan, how do we make sure that our areas become safer?”
Building communities is key in fight against crime, says safety MEC Faith Mazibuko after tavern shootings
Image: Phathu Luvhengo
MEC for community safety in Gauteng Faith Mazibuko says the police are working hard to ensure the perpetrators will be arrested after the deaths in Gauteng taverns at the weekend.
Mazibuko's office conducted a crime summit in Vosloorus on Wednesday, days after the shootings in Orlando East in Soweto and Katlehong, with another reported in Mamelodi on Tuesday.
She said the motive for the incidents was still unknown but police would ensure they bring perpetrators to book.
“Crime intelligence is the one who can better tell you if there are motives or not — or if it is just lawlessness,” she said.
Mazibuko said such occurrences, which happened regularly in the area, have prompted the department to host summits to develop good working structures.
Video footage of alleged Soweto tavern shooters in hands of police, car ‘may have been traced to KZN’
According to Mazibuko, car hijackings are rampant in the Vosloorus, Katlehong and Kathorus area.
“Cars get hijacked everywhere and dumped here. It tells you that there is a syndicate that works from this area that steals cars — whether there are buyers, we don't know,” she said.
Mazibuko said building communities had become a key focus. She said there were many hostels in the area without proper community governance infrastructure. Criminals hid in hostels as there was no one to reprimand them, she said.
“Indunas that are in the hostel, they tell us that they are even afraid to reprimand a person because that person will tell you, 'I will find you at home.'
“It's one of the things to say, that if we are to create a safety plan, how do we make sure that our areas become safer?”
Light on the horizon for Soweto’s hostels
She said she wanted to develop a community safety plan on how to formulate proper structures and fight crime in the area.
The area was allegedly infested with drug lords, some of whom sold drugs to pupils, she said.
“Other issues are not necessarily police issues but they need society as a whole. They need social cohesion. They need us working together.”
Mazibuko said she was concerned about the recent spate of killings in the province.
“Yes, we are concerned in Gauteng that we see these criminal activities happening and we hope that we will work together with the shebeen owners and tavern owners in ensuring that we put in some safety measures.”
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