Gauteng MK Party Spokesperson Abel Tau
By Abel Tau
MKP Gauteng Provincial Spokesperson
Umkhonto Wesizwe Party in Gauteng calls for a swift replacement of the Gauteng police commissioner Lt. General Mthombeni amid a spade of rampant shootings in the province.
This follows another heinous shooting incident in Bekkersdal in the West Rand.
This unfortunate incident where at least 9 lives were taken and scores others were seriously injured highlights and underscores the seriousness of the situation in Gauteng.
Our sincerest condolences go to the families of the victims and we pray for the speedy recovery of those who are in hospital.
This incident raises another element that always goes unaddressed when it comes to crime in Gauteng which is the active role played by illegal immigrants and organised crime.
It is alleged that the Bekkersdal community has been terrorised for months by Lesotho National who do illegal mining in the area known as Zama Zamas.
It is alleged that locals have to lock
themselves in their homes as early as 7pm while the rival gangs of Zama Zamas take over the streets with absolute impunity.
This incident follows shortly after another shooting incident at Saulsville Hostel in the West of Tshwane where 25 people were gunned down, 12 died and 13 were injured at a drinking spot in the hostel while they were having a good time in the wee hours of the morning.
Similar to the Bekkersdal incident, it is said that armed assailants stormed the venue where people were having fun drinking and indiscriminately opened fire killing 12 people including a 3 year old minor and two teenagers who called that place home.
We as Umkhonto Wesizwe in Gauteng have noted how these crimes do not get the urgency they deserve.
In Saulsville for instance, there was absolutely zero police visibility even as early as 6 hours after the incident.
The crime scene was not cordoned off even when we went on site showing the shoddy manner in which police were handling the situation.
We spoke to members of the public who indicated that they believe police are in cahoots with the criminals and that if members of the public dared give information on criminal activity in
the area they found themselves in the line of fire.
The same is true we are told in Bekkersdal and other areas of Gauteng where community cries fall on deaf ears when they voice their discontent about policing wherein it is alleged that some police stations lock their gates at nightfall in fear of criminals.
This situation is a clear indication that we have a policing crisis in Gauteng that can no longer be left unchecked.
We as Umkhonto Wesizwe party in Gauteng believe that LT General Mthombeni has dismally failed to lead Gauteng police adequately and a swift replacement is necessary to turn the tide on violent crime and crime in general in Gauteng.
Under his watch Gauteng violent crime has spiked. No arrests are made even in high profile cases including cases like the ones of popular figures like DJ Warras let alone these mass shootings.
Under his watch police visibility is non existent, police stations are locked at night and criminals run the streets.
Residents of Gauteng deserve a police service that will be equal to the task of policing Gauteng because it here in Gauteng where organised crime, illegal immigration, human trafficking, drug trafficking and all sorts of crimes will want to fully establish themselves therefore Gauteng police must be a cut above the rest starting with the Provincial police head.
We will be writing officially to the National commissioner of police and the Minister of police to make ourselves clear on our call for police reforms in Gauteng starting with the speedy replacement of Provincial Police Commissioner Lt General Tommy Mthombeni.
Should this not happen, MKP in Gauteng will announce steps early in the new year for massive mass action to force the government to act in what we as MKP Gauteng will call the “YEAR OF TAKING THE REVOLUTION TO THE STREETS”
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