Safety of Tshwane residents must be prioritised by ensuring more arrests to curb Boko Haram violence and criminality

3 August 2021

In order to protect the livelihoods and businesses of innocent Tshwane residents who have been constantly targeted by the Boko Haram gang in Tshwane, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is calling for more arrests to be made to curb such violence and criminality.

Apart from walking around with firearms, looting stores and robbing people, Boko Haram is getting more and more involved with hijacking the contracts of community projects and extorting money from the developers and contractors.

This follows the arrest of an ANC Ward 86 Branch Secretary, Lima Sethokga and his two accomplices for alleged extortion of money from a developer involved in a Silverton construction project.

This arrest is a step in the right direction, however, there needs to be more arrests made to put a stop to this act of criminality that is terrorising communities and delaying community projects that are meant to benefit the residents.

Through the DA’s engagement with the Gauteng Premier, David Makhura, Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko and the Gauteng SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General, Elias Mawela, a task team was established by the Tshwane District to investigate and monitor crime involving the Boko Haram gang. Informers are tasked to gather intelligence relating to the gang.

The fact that this gang is continuing to terrorise the residents, clearly indicates that the established task team is failing and there is an urgent need for effective intervention.

The DA will continue to put pressure on both MEC Mazibuko and the Gauteng SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General, Elias Mawela to put urgent measures in place to curb the violence and criminality of this gang.

It is the responsibility of the South African Police Service to ensure the safety of residents and to prevent such crimes. More arrests need to be made but this can only be done through effective police intelligence and comprehensive actions taken. The DA’s continued pressure on authorities will ensure that more arrests are made and the safety of our people is prioritised.

Issued by Michael Shackleton, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Community Safety, 3 August 2021