At least seven men have been shot dead in Mitchell’s Plain in the first three weeks of the new year.
This comes after the arrest of a Mitchell’s Plain police officer in November, accused of stealing 15 firearms and eight imitation weapons over six-months.
Mitchell’s Plain police station commander Jan Alexander confirmed that the man is due in Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court on Friday February 2.
“The guns have not yet been recovered. The anti-corruption unit is investigating the case and it is premature for me to say anything further,” he said.
He said the guns were not stolen from the station.
Brigadier Alexander appealed to the community come forward with information and assured them it would be dealt with confidentially.
Mitchell’s Plain Community Police Forum (CPF) chairman Norman Jantjes said SAPS only shared information about the missing guns after they requested an urgent meeting with police management.
“The CPF demanded answers regarding the missing firearms and other exhibits. How and why it happened? Who is responsible? How can this be prevented in the future?” he said.
The firearms and ammunition were booked out by investigating officers to be take for forensic analysis.
“These exhibits, however, did not arrive at the police laboratory,” he said.
Mr Jantjes said this "theft" was only discovered late in November, after which an immediate investigation by the anti-corruption was launched.
“This investigation is still ongoing, and we expect heads to roll,” he said.
He said that these exhibits were linked to serious or gang-related crimes.
“We expect the guilty party or parties to be sentenced to imprisonment to make sure that this type of conduct is never repeated,” said Mr Jantjes.
CPF Eastridge sub-forum chairman Allan Britz said with the recent shootings the community was tense.
“Young men cannot walk around in certain areas. In churches we organise marches against crime and gangsterism,” he said.
Abie Isaacs, Cape Flats Safety Forum chairman, who lives in Lentegeur, recalled that in 2017 guns went missing from the Mitchell’s Plain police station.
“We call for full investigation. We call Mitchell’s Plain saps to be put under administration,” he said. “How many of these fire arms have now been recovered? This again as we have seen a sharp increase in shootings since the 1 January 2024 to day in Mitchell's Plain precinct,” he said.
Mitchell’s Plain police confirmed the attempted murder of a man in Eastridge on Friday January 12; another man was shot dead and three others were wounded in Elephant street, in Eastridge, the next day; on January 18 three men were shot dead in Summit Road, in Tafelsig; a man was murdered on Saturday in Tafelsig East and two men were injured in Tafelsig West.
Brigadier Alexander said these were all gang-related incidents across Mitchell’s Plain, including Rocklands but there were no fatalities.
“There were some shooting incidents mainly in Beacon Valley Tafelsig and Eastridge. Some shootings in Rocklands but no fatalities,” he said.
He said the violence was mainly caused by gang fights.
“It is spread by retaliation; drug turf and internal disagreements like leadership. It is territories, old grudges and gang take overs,” he said.
Brigadier Alexander wants the community to share information so that SAPS can play a preventative role.
Anyone with information can call Crime stop on 080 010 111
• Cape Flats Safety Forum will be demanding answers from SAPS and the CPF as to why the theft was kept quiet tomorrow Thursday January 25 between 10am and noon. For more information, call secretary Lynn Phillips on 083 445 4439.