Cachalia doesn't believe WC police have plan in place to defeat gangs

CAPE TOWN - Interim Police Minister Firoz Cachalia says he doesn't think Western Cape police have a plan yet to defeat gangs.

The interim police minister addressed Mitchells Plain residents on Tuesday at a meeting about crime in the area.

ALSO READ: Residents tell Cachalia crime in Mitchells Plain at crisis levels, plead for more police resources

Cachalia is in Cape Town this week to engage residents from crime-ridden areas about plans to combat the prevalence of gang violence in the city.

Mitchells Plain is one of the areas on the Cape Flats experiencing a surge in gang-related shootings recently.

Cachalia said that police needed a no-nonsense approach when dealing with gangs.

"We need to go on an offensive against drug lords, stabilise our communities and make sure we are in charge, and our people are in charge, not the criminals. But the plan to defeat the gangs, I don't believe that plan is in place."

Cachalia said the country was behind the curve in fighting gangs and organised crime syndicates.