Official launch of police anti-gang unit today

THE police anti-gang unit will be officially launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Downsberg Sport Field in Hanover Park today.

The launch takes place in the same area where 20-year-old Ameerodien Noordien, a Gift of the Givers volunteer, was shot dead.

The unit was behind the arrests of two suspects in the killing last month.

The unit, comprising top detectives, among others, has been operational since October 8.

It has already yielded positive results, with the latest being the breakthrough following the killing of criminal lawyer Pete Mihalik in Green Point this week.

The unit has been deployed in Nyanga, Bonteheuwel and Manenberg to curb gang-related violence and the drug trade. A 33-year-old woman was arrested for possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition in Manenberg yesterday.

Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said: “Members of the antigang unit are out in full swing making sure communities are safe. On Thursday (yesterday) members followed up on information they received about an illegal firearm at an address.

“The police searched the premises and found a 9mm pistol and eight rounds of ammunition.”

The deployment of the unit and other planned initiatives also came after residents of Hanover Park, Bonteheuwel, Kensington, Bishop Lavis and other communities protested under the banner #TotalShutdown for safer communities.

The unit’s objective is to dislodge and terminally weaken the capacity of gangs, and to disable the criminal economy linked to gangsterism.