Police conducted a pre-dawn raid of the Cape Flats suburb of Manenberg on Thursday morning, a Western Cape police spokesperson confirmed.

Constable Rwexana told to News24 on Thursday more details on the raid would be released at a media briefing at the Western Cape Police’s provincial headquarters at 10:00.

According to SAFM, 3 people were arrested and several illegal firearms were confiscated during the raid.

In a police statement released on Wednesday, Western Cape police said the operation was part of a wider scheme to clamp down on criminal and gang violence in the area.

The integrated Crime Prevention Operation will focus on drugs, illegal firearms and other criminal activities in Manenberg, the statement said.

The raid took place amid on-going gang violence that has plagued the embattled suburb in the past few weeks.

Protest outside Parliament

Cape Flats residents, meanwhile, told News24 on Tuesday that gangsters are robbing people of their belongings, their freedom and their lives, during a protest against gang violence outside Parliament.

Patricia Cornelius, 63, who has been living in Mitchell’s Plain for half her life, told News24 that she did not feel safe.

“It is a hot spot for murder, rape and house robbery,” she said. “If you show a person who is guilty of crime to the police, they take them and later on you see the person is walking free”.

She said gangsters ran rampant and although residents were witness to their crimes, they felt they could do nothing.

The City of Cape Town on Tuesday said it is exploring the option of keeping street lights on during power outages to help with policing in gang-ridden areas. News24