Mashatile: Fight against gang violence must be intelligence-driven

Deputy President Paul Mashatile said that the fight against gang violence must be intelligence-driven.

He said communities also had a major role to play in helping to fish out those causing a reign of terror in their neighbourhoods, as MPs on Tuesday once again questioned government about its approach to stem the violence, particularly in the Western Cape.

Answering questions in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Mashatile said government recognised the trauma gang violence was causing in many communities.

ALSO READ: Mashatile believes public-private partnerships within municipalities to assist with water projects having desired effect

The deputy president said that government was addressing the systemic weaknesses in policing and the justice cluster that were hindering the arrest of those responsible for gang violence.

He saidthat the SAPS had already begun implementing its latest anti-gang strategy in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and Gauteng.

"Government is investing in an integrated, intelligence-driven approach. This strategy will ensure that gangs and criminal networks are investigated, neutralised and dismantled."

But the Democratic Alliance (DA)'s Nicholas Gotsell claimed the SAPS was shunning investigative and intelligence capacity from the City of Cape Town’s metro police.

"This means that your government is turning away real help, while communities on the Cape Flats are slaughtered."

Mashatile promised to look into the matter.

He said that while there were protocols that needed to be followed, all help was needed to fight the gangsterism scourge.