Police plan to "get tough" on gangsterism

National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega plans to clamp down on gangsterism in South Africa but whether or not she will be successful remains to be seen. Image: Sacsis

The announcement comes after five children were wounded in the space of just 24 hours having been caught in the cross-fire of gang fights. Three of the children were critically injured.

According to Phiyega, the National Intervention Unit, Tactical Response Team and Public Order Policing units will get to work this week, with heavily armed police descending on areas around the country that are rife with gangsterism.

The spokesman for of the National Police Commissioner, Solomon Makgale, said the members will be deployed in the northern parts of Port Elizabeth, in the Western Cape, Free State and Gauteng.

"This is Operation Comeback, and we need community involvement. We need cooperation from the community policing forums and other community leaders who can assist the police in stamping out gangsterism. We need to work together to ensure that socio-economic challenges are met and law and order maintained," he said.