‘Enough is enough’: Ramaphosa declares war against gangsters, extortionists and construction mafia | News24

• An agreement was struck to get more boots on the ground in a bid to fight crime in the Western Cape.
• Ramaphosa promised to address the challenges of gangsterism, extortionists and the construction mafia.
• He said similar agreements would be rolled out in other provinces and metros. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africans were tired of living in fear due to criminals terrorising communities.

Ramaphosa was delivering his keynote address on Friday after the national government, the Western Cape government and the City of Cape Town signed a deal to boost the number of police officers to curb crime in the province.

He said it was a “very historic moment where we are taking decisive action to combat crime here in Cape Town, which has become the capital city of criminality, gang violence, murder and other related criminal activities, including drug peddling and abuse.

“Our people have had enough of criminals terrorising communities and, by signing this cooperative agreement, we say enough is enough.

“Die mense van Kaapstad is moeg van gangsters” [the people of Cape Town are tired of gangsters]. 

“What this means is that we are taking a war against the construction mafia, against gangsters, we are going to take you on and make sure you are brought to justice. Gangsters are tearing communities apart.”

Ramaphosa said parents, teachers and pupils were tired of thugs causing chaos in schools and bringing weapons and drugs into the classrooms.

“They are also saying, as young people, their lives are being wasted by tik, nyaope, whoonga, buttons and cocaine, and many other drugs. They no longer want to see these things being peddled,” he said.

“The national police is at the forefront against crime. They are determined to take the streets back from criminals.”

The president said the plan was to roll out the agreement to other provinces and metros. 

“Under this agreement, we will share technology and resources, and we will be giving a serious response to criminality. This will ensure we are one step ahead of criminals,” he said.

The signing of the memorandum comes at a critical time following the release of the national crime stats. 

The Western Cape consistently saw the sharpest increase in murders for the first half of the year.

In the first three months of the year, the province saw a 27.5% increase.

Between April and June, there was a 21% increase. 

A quarter of all the country’s murders took place in Gauteng in the first three months of the year, with 22% taking place in KwaZulu-Natal and 17% in the Western Cape. 

Ramaphosa said: “We want to give clear notice to the criminals; we are coming after you. We, as the government of national unity, are coming after you. We have made crime a priority, and we are going to ensure that SA becomes a safe place,” he said. 

The president vowed to clamp down on the illicit trade of firearms.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said: “For me, as we start this seventh administration, the time now is for less talk and more action. We need to stand together, as a government, to fight crime. The latest crime stats are sobering and devastating numbers, and show that the criminals need to be dealt with. This agreement is a big signal to criminals that we want to end this scourge of crime.”

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said the Western Cape recorded the highest increase in murder cases.

“This is indeed a concern, and we are confident that we will overcome it. Today’s agreement is not just a document, it is an undertaking – and not just a paper exercise, but an undertaking to commit to an action plan towards establishing a safer city and province.

“I am confident that, through our combined efforts, we will achieve great things and build a future where every resident of Cape Town and the Western Cape feels safe, protected and valued,” he said.