Police Minister Bheki Cele met with senior crime intelligence officers on Tuesday, highlighting several key areas they should focus on. Eyewitness News (EWN) reports that Cele instructed the country's senior police spies to focus on cash-in-transit heists, gangsterism, political killings and taxi violence. Kidnappings and robberies were also reportedly highlighted.
Sources reportedly told EWN that Cele mentioned only one individual by name – alleged Cape Town gang boss Jerome "Donkie" Booysen.
This follows a number of high profile cash-in-transit heists in the country recently. ENCA reported this week that, according to the Gauteng Community Safety Department, there were 96 cash-in-transit heists in Gauteng in the last nine months.
About 44 armoured vehicles were attacked in the same time period. The department reportedly added that arrests were made in only 11 cases and only 26 suspects have been arrested to date.
On Tuesday, TimesLive reported that 27 crime intelligence police officers have criminal records. In response to a parliamentary question by the DA, it was reportedly revealed that 20 of these were traffic-related offences, while seven were for serious crimes.
National police commissioner Khehla Sitole reportedly said the issue was receiving attention.
"The newly appointed Divisional Commissioner of the Division: Crime Intelligence Lieutenant General PA [Peter] Jacobs‚ is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the seven serious cases. Progress in this regard will be reported in due course," he said.
There has also been an apparent rise in incidences of taxi violence, specifically in the Western Cape.
According to News24, Western Cape MEC for transport, Donald Grant threatened to shut down Cape Town taxi ranks this week because of the recent spate of taxi violence. Transport Minister Blade Nzimande has reportedly been roped in to help resolve the crisis.