Officers from the anti-gang unit (AGU) of the SAPS (Photo: GCIS)
The parliamentary inquiry into gang violence and organized crime must lead to “real accountability and measurable outcomes”, and not simply become another discussion forum.
So says Lisa Schickerling, DA spokesperson on police, after the party welcomed the investigation. She says communities, especially in the Western Cape, live under constant pressure due to gang violence.
“This investigation must go beyond general conclusions and provide concrete answers about what works, what fails and who should be held accountable.”
According to her, the DA will, among other things, demand clarity about the effectiveness of the anti-gang unit (AGU), and whether this unit’s interventions really lead to sustainable decreases in murders and shooting incidents, or merely bring temporary stabilization in hotspot areas.
The party also wants answers about inadequate data and performance measurement within the South African Police Service (SAPS), which currently makes it difficult to properly determine whether police strategies are successful.
Schickerling says the integrity of the anti-gang unit must also be investigated, including how the SAPS handles internal investigations and ensures that valid complaints of misconduct and malicious or retaliatory complaints are properly managed.
The DA says there is also not enough focus on dismantling organized crime networks. This includes financial investigations, asset seizures and targeting gang leaders, rather than just lower-level offenders.
“Recent figures show activity, but not necessarily impact. Without clear evidence linking police action to convictions, disrupted networks and long-term declines in violence, the SAPS cannot declare success.”
The DA further wants to know whether there are sufficient resources, intelligence coordination and prosecution support available to ensure convictions – not just arrests.
The party will also put pressure on the cooperation between the SAPS and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the state of intelligence capacity, the role of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) in disrupting gang leaders’ financial networks, and forensic capacity, especially delays with drug analyzes and ballistics tests.
Schickerling says the DA will also advocate regular lifestyle audits and polygraph tests for all members of the anti-gang unit.
According to her, there should also be greater transparency about how police stations in areas with high levels of gang violence are identified as priorities, how often this list is reviewed and whether interventions really improve safety in affected communities.
“This investigation must ultimately answer one simple question: Are we safer today than before these interventions were introduced?
“If the answer is no, the government must be honest about failure and commit to a new, evidence-based strategy to tackle organized crime.”
She says the DA also emphasizes the need for the expansion of policing forces to effectively curb gang violence.
“The people of South Africa deserve more than statistics. They deserve safety, justice and a police service that works.”