From the news desk

Calls for impartial probe into missing weapons at Mitchells Plain SAPS

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The Mitchell’s Plain Community Police Forum (CPF) has welcomed the suspension of 14 Mitchells Plain police officers, in the wake of the outcry over missing firearms. Last month, fifteen 9mm state firearms disappeared from the Mitchells Plain Police Station, followed 18 guns which vanished from the Bellville South Police Station.

It’s now believed that Mitchell’s Plain cluster commander General Greg Goss suspended station commander, Brigadier Cass Goolam and other officials accused of being involved in the incident. When VOC News called Goss for comment on Friday, he declined to give any response.

“We have been calling for a thorough and impartial investigation into this matter,” said Mitchells Plain CPF chairperson Abie Isaacs.

“We hope as the community in terms of partnership policing that we are kept abreast of what’s happening. We understand our mandate is to do oversight and not get involved in the internal mayyers of the South African Police Service but this is of great concern to us as the CPF and the community at large.”

The DA says this unprecedented and raises serious questions around the procedure for storing weapons and who is ultimately responsible for it. DA Mitchells Plain Constituency Head, Ricardo Mackenzie said while he commended authorities for suspending 13 officials, this does not bring any comfort to the community of Mitchell’s Plain which continues to suffer under-resourcing at Mitchells Plain and Lentegeur Police Stations.

“I have no doubt that these guns will find their way into the hands of criminals, worsening the gangsterism in Mitchells Plain and surrounds,” he said.

“As Mitchells Plain Constituency Head, I call upon IPID, General Jula and the Minister of Police, Fikile Mbalula, to urgently launch an independent investigation into this matter. It is of utmost importance and urgency to find these 13 guns before they end up in the hands of criminals which will lead to more shootings and murders.”

He urged national government to play their part in keeping the community safe by providing more resources to under-resourced areas and to bring back the Specialised Gangs Units urgently.

“This is a matter of extreme urgency and the community of Mitchell’s Plain will be the worst off now that these weapons are in the hands of criminals and gangsters.” VOC


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