Since 2024, Johannesburg South has seen a distressing rise in gang violence, with around 74 murders and 10 attempted murders, many related to gang wars. South Hills (Ward 57) and Chrisville (Ward 55) have been hit hard by turf wars between rival gangs, resulting in tragic incidents, including the death of a 13-year-old child and a scholar transport driver killed outside a school. This is despite countless promises by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to curb gangsterism.
The DA condemns these senseless killings in the strongest terms. We reiterate our demand for Lesufi to intervene urgently and direct SAPS to deploy specialised units to investigate and dismantle the criminal networks holding communities hostage. Furthermore, he must allocate necessary resources to police stations such as Booysens and Moffatview so they can deal with the scourge.
Recently, Premier Lesufi signed a Memorandum of Understanding with law enforcement agencies, asserting that it would lead to a cohesive strategy for combating crime. He confidently declared that “the real forces are coming back to clean our homes.” However, in the areas most affected by crime, there is a noticeable absence of visible policing, and the so-called “Amapanyaza” crime wardens are nowhere in sight.
How many more lives must be lost while Lesufi plays lip service on this crisis? It is high time that Lesufi stops playing with people’s lives and acts on his commitment to intensify crime-fighting efforts across Gauteng.
The DA will continue to put pressure on the Premier and his failing government to treat this issue with the urgency it deserves.
A DA-led Gauteng provincial government would prioritise real safety by deploying SAPS’ specialised unit, increasing operations to eradicate illegal firearms, and introducing community outreach programmes to steer young people away from gangsterism by offering educational resources, skills training, and job opportunities.