Cape Town – Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, says a section of Ottery was turned into an “active war zone” on Tuesday morning when rival gangs exchanged heavy gunfire, leaving at least two people injured.
In a statement, Smith said he later visited the scene alongside the Chairperson of the National Police Committee, MP Ian Cameron, following the violent outbreak.
He said the shooting highlights what he described as a broader failure in the criminal justice system, arguing that repeat offenders are being released back into communities due to weak case preparation and forensic shortcomings.
Smith cited a previous case involving a suspect arrested by City Law Enforcement officers for illegal firearm possession near Ottery two years ago.
He said the suspect had allegedly tried to discard a firearm during the arrest.
However, he claimed that earlier this week the suspect was released and all charges were dropped because the firearm was not sent for forensic testing, preventing a DNA link to the accused.
“No matter how many arrests our officers make, how many firearms we recover, these are meaningless if these same criminals are simply recycled back into the community over and over again,” Smith said.
He called for greater investigative powers for City officers, arguing that they should be allowed to investigate and compile case dockets to ensure stronger prosecutions and convictions.
“This is why we have identified the simple solution that will bring immediate results. Grant us the authority to investigate and compile these case dockets ourselves,” he said.
Smith said such a change would ensure suspects are properly charged and brought before court to face conviction.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
