WATCH: Former top cop Jeremy Vearey calls for state of disaster to tackle Cape Town gang wars

Former Western Cape head of detectives, Jeremy Vearey, is calling for a state of disaster to be declared in Cape Town as the gang crisis reaches critical levels.

This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa's refusal to declare a state of emergency in the Western Cape following months of deadly gang violence.

Over 50 gang-related murders have occurred in just two months alone.

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While the president believes that the current anti-gang plan is sufficient, Vearey argues that a state of disaster should instead be declared in the province. 

Unlike a state of emergency, a state of disaster is temporary, allowing the government to fast-track responses and resources without suspending fundamental rights.

Previous military deployments proved to be ineffective because gangs would temporarily retreat while continuing operations. 

"We all know this has failed historically ever since we started having gangs in this country," said Vearey.

"They stashed their weapons, they grew their capability, they recruited wider during that period. We were all lulled by a false sense of security that the mere physical presence of people, police, or army looking dangerous was enough to scare gangs."

Vearey said the Disaster Management Act does not depend on the president but rather makes provisions for local or municipal disasters that invoke the powers of the premier. 

"We must now think beyond the politics of who is doing what and what divisions we have. Here is an act that empowers the premier in this province to do something, and in a much more enforceable way that draws different government departments in a multi-sectoral way, and almost in a command-driven approach that the act requires to get people to deliver.

"[Gangsterism] is of the magnitude that clearly shows us that we need something more to strengthen resilience within the community and develop both the resourcefulness to deal with it in the light of the fact that even the resourcefulness of the state to deal with the problem has failed."

To watch Vearey in conversation with CapeTalk’s Lester Kiewit, click below: