Is police infighting undermining the fight against gang violence in the WCape?

Gang violence and murder on the Cape Flats has reached epic proportions over the past few months, with at least one person dying every day. Over this past weekend, thirteen people were killed in Philippi alone during two separate shooting incidents. Not to mention, the gang crisis facing Hanover Park, Bonteheuwel, Manenberg, Bishop Lavis, Mitchells plain, Lavender Hill and elsewhere.

Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz said two weeks ago that 1 600 bodies of murder victims had been counted at mortuaries between January and June, with many of them being victims of gang violence.

Talk-shop after talk-shop, and countless meetings by police minister Bheki Cele with communities, and yet the crisis continues.

But local activists say the police needs to get their house in order, as the Anti-Gang Unit has not been effective. We’ve heard numerous reports of infighting, budgeting and capacity constraints and even minister Bheki Cele admitted last month that the unit did not have enough officers. The Mitchells Plain CPF Cluster wants Cele to place the Western Cape under administration.

Tonight we ask: Is police infighting undermining the fight against gang violence in the WCape?

- Lynn Phillips the secretary of Mitchells Plain CPF and member the Mitchells Plain Cluster CPF.

- Abie Isaacs Chairperson of the Mitchells Plain Community Police Forum and member the Mitchells Plain Cluster CPF.

- Abdul Karriem Matthews community activist and member of the Bishop Lavis Action Community

- Colin Arendse a community activist

- Axolile Notywala general secretary of the Social Justice Coalition

- Richard Mamabolo spokesperson for The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union [POPCRU]