NATIONAL COMMISSIONER OF SAPS GENERAL FANNIE MASEMOLA ON WESTBURY SHOOTING

SPEAKER NOTES: NATIONAL COMMISSIONER OF SAPS GENERAL FANNIE MASEMOLA:

I have just received a briefing from the management of Gauteng on ongoing gang related violence in Westbury. 

Forming part our meeting was the Provincial Commissioner of Gauteng, the Deputy Provincial Commissioner responsible for Policing, the Acting Divisional Commissioner of Detectives and Forensic Services, the Acting Divisional Commissioner of Crime Intelligence, the head of the Anti-Gang-unit in Gauteng and head office , head of organised crime in the province amongst others. 

What is of concern and quite disturbing as we gather this evening is the involvement of children in gang related activities.

This is a disturbing trend that we have picked up in various parts of the country that young children as young as  13 , 14, 15, 16 and 17 are being used as runners by older gang members and leaders.

They are being recruited at a very young age and doing the dirty work for older members of these gangs.

It is indeed a concerning trend that when police arrest these young gang members, you will find that many of these cases are withdrawn at court because the perpetrators are minors and they are then referred for Diversion programmes, where they will be referred for counselling and then community services for example we are indeed fighting an uphill battle. 

We will surely win this war, but such a war can only be fought if parents and guardians come on board.

Like I indicated earlier, all these children are school going age and should have been in a classroom being taught by their teachers . 

It has been established that the two deceased are 17 and 19 years of age and the rest of the survivors are under 19 years of age with the youngest being 13. 

We are also engaging the home owner, to question this individual who is the mother to one of the boys,  as to how did she allow young children to get involved in such activities when they should have been in a classroom.

We cannot allow a situation where young children are involved in gambling activities and are found to be smoking at this tender age…

Indeed the family unit plays an important role to assist the work of the police.

It must start at home where parents and guardians do their part in instilling discipline and in monitoring their children. 

Ladies and gentlemen, Westbury forms part of eight communities in Gauteng where we have deployed the anti-gang-unit and these include Eldorado Park, Toekomsrus, Langlaagte, Reiger Park, Nigel, to mention a few. 

We continue to reinforce capacity in terms of more boots on the ground and resources to heighten police visibility as a form of deterrence. 

But unfortunately, it has happened several times that police were attacked by the very same community of Westbury . In all incidents , police were attacked while effecting arrests of suspects that were found in possession of drugs and some illegal firearms .

It is a challenge where find that some communities are found to be shielding gangsters. 

I have received a briefing from the anti-gang unit and from January to date , we have had 19 gangsters arrested in Westbury alone these were gang members who were found in possession of illegal firearms, drugs and arrested for their involvement in gang-related murders …

During the same period, 11 gangsters were also convicted to time in prison for gang related activities. 

I am encouraged that the anti-gang-unit is meeting weekly with the provincial commissioner and that there is a plan in place to prevent and combat gang related activities we just require the support of the community and the parents that must report wrongdoing to the police…..

We are continuously enhancing our strategies and plans to adjust to crime patterns and we are certain that with the support of all key stakeholders including the community members and parents / we will surely get it right.

I REPEAT PARENTS MUST PLAY A PART IN ASSISTING US TO PUT A STOP TO GANG RELATED ACTIVITIES. 

With this said, I will be visiting the Westbury area tomorrow morning where I will start my visit at the Sophiatown Police station and thereafter I will be monitoring deployments in the area . 

WE KNOW WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL FIND THESE PERPETRATORS WHO ARE BELIEVED TO BE FOUR TEENAGERS..

I THANK YOU