Recent brutal gang-related killings have claimed three lives and left another person injured in what is believed to be turf wars between rival gang members in Eldorado Park. This ongoing violence shows that Premier Panyaza Lesufi is not doing enough to address safety concerns in gang-affected areas in Gauteng.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng condemns these senseless acts of violence. We demand that Lesufi urgently intervene to ensure that the South African Police Service (SAPS) dismantles the criminal networks terrorising our communities.
In 2022, Premier Lesufi visited the Eldorado Park community and made a slew of promises, including the provision of helicopters and drones to enhance police visibility and combat crime. However, as we suspected at the time, these were merely hollow words intended to offer false hope to residents who continue to live in constant fear of violent crime. This inaction is not surprising, considering that the ANC has governed Gauteng for over 35 years without allocating sufficient resources to effectively combat crime in Eldorado Park.
The time for making strong statements without taking firm action against hardened criminals who are traumatising our communities must come to an end. The DA will write to the Chairperson of the Community Safety Portfolio Committee to request that Premier Lesufi be called to account for the lack of strategic action in addressing the gang crisis in the province and the absence of remedial measures.
A DA-led Gauteng provincial government would ensure that the SAPS’ specialised unit infiltrates active gangs in Gauteng and carries out strategic and intelligence-based operations. Operations to eradicate illegal firearms will be intensified. Furthermore, specialised community outreach programmes will be prioritised to guide young people away from gangsterism by offering educational resources, skills training, and job opportunities.
The DA vows to continue fighting for safer communities and to hold this failing government to account. Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased during this difficult time.