Criminologist says POCA Act helping to combat crime in Western Cape
The act is currently being used against alleged underworld gang bosses Nafiz Modack and Ralph Stanfield, who both face a slew of charges in separate cases in the Western Cape High Court and the Cape Town Magistrates Court.
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CAPE TOWN - A criminologist said that the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, known as the POCA Act, is helping to combat crime in the Western Cape.
The act is currently being used against alleged underworld gang bosses Nafiz Modack and Ralph Stanfield, who both face a slew of charges in separate cases in the Western Cape High Court and the Cape Town Magistrates Court.
The same act was recently used to sentence alleged drug syndicate leader, Fadwaan Murphy, to 18 years in prison after he was convicted of charges related to running a criminal enterprise that flooded the Cape Flats with tik.
Both Modack and Stanfield have been accused of running criminal enterprises on the Cape Flats and face charges, which include murder, attempted murder and defeating the ends of justice.
Criminologist Guy Lamb said that while POCA worked to keep crime bosses and criminals behind bars, most of them still run their crime enterprises from prison.
"In some respects, it might make a difference but in the longer term, unless you're dealing with what's driving organised crime and violent crime in the first place, you're not going to make a significant difference."