Gang convictions evidence of progress

YOUR article “Praise as two alleged gang bosses go on trial” (May 31) is a further indictment on the DA as Premier Helen Zille recently referred to the conviction of George “Geweld” Thomas and 16 co-accused as being a “once off ” in the legislature. This was the same trial where DA councillor Willie Jaftha begged the high court to show some mercy to one of Thomas’s hitmen.

Over several years and due to painstaking work by dedicated police staff, there has been a steady conviction rate on the Cape Flats.

Six members of the notorious 28s gang in Valhalla Park, including its leader, Saliem John, were convicted of serious crimes, thanks to Operation Combat under the command of General Jeremy Vearey. All six men were convicted under Section 9 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (Poca), i.e. of being members of a gang.

Then, 14 members of the Junior Cisko Yakkies gang were sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment in separate cases dating back to 2013. Last year, five Correctional Services Department officials were also arrested for allegedly aiding gang and drug activity at Worcester Prison.

In addition, four accused of the Young Red Criminals (YRC), including gang leader Clayton Swartz, were sentenced on two charges of premeditated murder, dealing in drugs, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, and gang-related crimes. The four were all sentenced to two life sentences and an additional 25 years, with all sentences to run concurrently.

Operation Combat and Poca have also seen success with the conviction of 16 high-ranking members of the Atlantis Fancy Boys – made possible by two years of intelligence gathering by the SAPS and careful work by the NPA (source: Daily Maverick).

And, previously, others like Colin and Ralph Stanfield, Rashied Staggie and Mallick Pietersen have also been incarcerated, thanks to our men in blue. Petersen received three life terms when Operation Combat destroyed the core leadership of one of the province’s most violent street gangs in Atlantis, and it was also at this high court trial that a serving DA councillor declined to testify in aggravation of sentence.

General Vearey, a seasoned investigator, has often pointed to drugs and a lack of safe spaces as reasons for teen gangsters. Poca was put in place to target organised crime and gang activity: money laundering and racketeering, and to better enable convictions of gang members.

Vearey further stated that the success in closing down gangs had created a vacuum that needed to be filled by other local government working to normalise that environment (source: SABC).

All we need now is for local politicians to improve the stigma of the same apartheid environment that still exists in our poorer communities after 22 years of democracy.