Cape Town - The arrests of three gang members from the Bonteheuwel area have been lauded as a positive step in the fight against the rampant shootings in the area.
The three known gang members between the ages of 39 and 40 are said to be affiliated with the Americans and the Dixie Boys gangs.
Two of them were arrested in T block, where the police confiscated two firearms and ammunition, and another one was later apprehended in Mahogany Street with a firearm and rounds of ammunition.
T block is one of the hot spot sections in the area and it’s where law enforcement officers were recently attacked after attempting to arrest a man responsible for a shooting in Teak Road.
The man evaded arrest while in handcuffs after a group of community members attacked the law enforcement officers.
Bonteheuwel CPF sector chairperson Mike Seale agreed that T block was a hot spot zone with sporadic shootings occurring daily and where murders were reported every week.
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said the arrests were made after Bishop Lavis Vispol targeted their known hot spot areas in Bonteheuwel over the weekend.
“The 40-year-old Dixie Boys gang member was found in possession of a 9mm Parabellum pistol with four rounds of ammunition, while the two Americans members were found in possession of a 9mm Taurus and a CZ 9mm. Both had two magazines and 20 rounds of ammunition each in their possession,” Pojie said.
Pojie said the three suspects would appear in the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court once charged.
Graham Lindhorst, Bishop Lavis community police forum (CPF) chairperson, commended the police for the good work adding that the CPF welcomed the removal of guns from the streets.
“Whenever a gun is taken off the streets it means not only one but many lives will be saved. So having confiscated three firearms is good work.
“The Bishop Lavis members are quite good at recovering firearms. They have consistently recovered firearms and they always do better than the previous year. We welcome that and we want to congratulate them and we want them to continue to work hard.
“We need to squeeze the space of the gangsters who think that they can run around with guns in their hands and do whatever they want,” Lindhorst said.