What’s going on regarding anti-gang unit?
THE POLICE Minister and SAPS management must provide a clear answer: does the Western Cape have an Anti-Gang Specialised Unit or not?
It is disappointing that SAPS senior management has allegedly fumbled the process preceding the establishment of (what the public was told is) the Western Cape AntiGang Unit, which has led to an urgent interdict application by the South African Police Union (Sapu) at the Labour Court to stop the further roll-out of the unit.
A NEW social termite is eating away at the fabric of our society. Greedy individuals are partnering with lawyers to manipulate and swindle deceased estates and wills.
A Western Cape former attorney, Ignatius Potgieter, was recently jailed for four years for defrauding two deceased estates of which he was appointed executor.
Recently, two Muslim sisters
While the DA has welcomed the establishment of the “unit” following years of calling for one, it will be for the court to judge the merit of Sapu’s application arguing procedural irregularities in its establishment, owing to alleged non-consultation in the Safety and Security Sectoral Bargaining Council.
I have seen a letter written by Lieutenant-General Bonang Mgwenya to Sapu in which she refutes the allegation stating that “the anti-gang capacity that has been established in the Western Cape… must not be seen as a new structure on the fixed establishment of the South African Police Service. It is rather the concentration of members from various specialised units into a single, multi-disciplinary capacity to deal with the gang phenomena…”
In other words, what was launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa and Police Minister Bheki Cele on November 2 was in fact not a proper, permanent and fully-fledged specialised unit as we have advocated, but simply another task team that will be dissolved and withdrawn from gang violenceaffected communities at some point.
Cape Flats communities need answers as to what the SAPS longterm plan is for addressing gang violence from a policing perspective. I will be writing to Minister Cele to seek clarity on these matters. Westhuizen’s widow Amor Vittone will inherit only a TV set from his estate. His last will was unsigned by him, but signed by his lawyer.
Vittone contested the will, but all proceeds will now go to his kids.
Some corporate lawyers will attempt the impossible for clients if they know the rainbow leads to a pot of gold.