Nelson Mandela Bay DA sends an SOS to police minister over metro crime onslaught

As Nelson Mandela Bay reels under a continuous onslaught of crime, the Democratic Alliance (DA) on Thursday sent an urgent letter to Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia seeking help to enforce oversight measures from Parliament.

The letter comes after the Portfolio Committee on Police recommended that urgent steps be taken to strengthen police intelligence structures and the fight against gangsterism in Nelson Mandela Bay.

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“The Portfolio Committee on Police is of the view that the South African Police Service’s (SAPS’s) continued use of conventional methods to combat gang violence is not assisting the SAPS to achieve success, as communities struggle under the strain of organised crime. Today, the committee received a petition from Mr Yusuf Cassim, a member of the Eastern Cape legislature, on the ongoing gang violence in the northern areas of Nelson Mandela Bay,” reads a statement from the committee.

“While the committee is cognisant of the socio-economic factors that encourage gang affiliation in these areas and which require a collaborative approach from various stakeholders, the committee remains concerned about the unwillingness of the SAPS to implement intelligence operations intended to infiltrate and disrupt gangs. The SAPS must also consider using technological advances as force multipliers in the fight against gang violence,” the statement continued.

DA mayoral candidate for Nelson Mandela Bay Retief Odendaal asked that the recommendations of this committee, which included a report on police intelligence structures in the metro that was supposed to be delivered by 31 July but was not, be implemented urgently.

“Criminals are running wild without fear of consequence and are destroying our way of life in the metro. Every day families are torn apart and more jobs get destroyed,” said Odendaal.

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“I insist that you review the recommendations in this report, as it relates to dealing with gangsterism, and implement them as soon as possible. In addition to these recommendations, there are other key areas of concern that require your direct intervention:

• Rampant vandalism and theft of municipal infrastructure is leading to service delivery collapse. This has a direct impact on residents and businesses, and contributes to the unemployment crisis facing our city as businesses pack up and move elsewhere, or execute mass retrenchments.
• A spate of kidnappings have struck fear into the hearts of residents across the city. While the recent arrest of nine suspects is encouraging, the reality is that these kidnapping syndicates are highly organised and can only be dismantled by disrupting the entire kingpin hierarchy.
• These issues are directly affecting service delivery and compromise public safety infrastructure.

Odendaal said residents are left feeling vulnerable. 

“These are not isolated events; they are symptoms of a systemic policing breakdown that demands your immediate attention,” he added.

“These organised crime syndicates are sophisticated and well funded, often operating way beyond what the current SAPS infrastructure can handle. We cannot allow these groups to operate with impunity and hold our city hostage. A new approach is desperately needed.”

Odendaal said the SAPS in the metro must be better resourced, crime intelligence must be improved, and better collaboration with private security must be established to bolster law enforcement reach and information channels. 

“The recent kidnapping-related arrests were only made possible with the support of private security,” Odendaal added.

He also asked for the establishment of specialised units dedicated to tackle organised crime, particularly gangsterism, vandalism and cable theft.

“The safety and security of our city are non-negotiable. I am confident that with your support and collaboration, we can implement the necessary changes to make the metro a safer place for all,” he added.

Read more: NMB murder hotspots — Five areas among the worst in SA

Last month, Major General Vuyisile Ncata, the police district commissioner for Nelson Mandela Bay, told Kariega residents that the police have plans and that they are being implemented, but that they are struggling with funding. DM