Chairperson of the Community Safety Committee in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, Bandile Masuku, highlighted the rising incidence of kidnappings, which increased by 2.1% during the period under review.
Image: Graphic: Kim Kay / IOL
Gauteng authorities have welcomed a major boost in the fight against crime, with the South African Police Service (SAPS) establishing two specialised units in the province.
The units will be tasked with tackling high-priority criminal threats, signalling a firm commitment to restoring public safety and dismantling organised criminal networks.
The Ministry of Police described the move as a decisive step to strengthen Gauteng’s response to complex and coordinated criminal activity. The first unit, modeled on the Political Killings Task Team, will focus on investigating political assassinations and politically motivated killings of government officials.
Spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi said: “The establishment of the unit follows the proven effectiveness of the Political Killings Task Team model in addressing complex and highly sensitive cases.”
The second unit will target crimes linked to kidnappings, extortion, and offences affecting infrastructure projects. Both units are operational, intelligence-driven, and multidisciplinary, reflecting SAPS’ commitment to disrupting organised criminal networks and ensuring perpetrators of serious crimes face justice.
Mogotsi added that together, the units form part of a broader strategy to tackle some of Gauteng’s most dangerous criminal threats, aimed at protecting communities and supporting economic stability across the province.
The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety welcomed the SAPS intervention, highlighting that such crimes have become increasingly sophisticated and coordinated, posing a serious threat to public safety, economic stability, and service delivery.
“The Committee strongly supports the establishment of these specialised units, particularly in light of the alarming crime statistics,” said the Chairperson, Bandile Masuku.
Recent information showed that 10 police officers were killed in Gauteng over just three months, four while on duty and six off duty. Masuku described this as a deeply disturbing reality, stressing that the murder of a police officer is not only an attack on an individual but a direct assault on the rule of law and the authority of the state.
He warned that those who commit such heinous crimes must face the full might of the law and said the Committee believes perpetrators responsible for killing officers should receive the harshest possible sentences.
Masuku also highlighted the rising incidence of kidnappings, which increased by 2.1% during the period under review. Often linked to organised criminal networks and extortion schemes, these crimes threaten residents, businesses, and public officials.
“The Committee therefore welcomes the establishment of a specialised task team dedicated to investigating kidnapping and related crimes. This targeted intervention will play a critical role in strengthening investigative capacity and disrupting organised criminal syndicates responsible for these offences,” he said.
He emphasised that the units demonstrate SAPS’ firm commitment to tackling violent crime and rebuilding public trust. Masuku added that the Committee will continue to oversee the units to ensure they are well-resourced, coordinated, and capable of delivering tangible results.
Meanwhile, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi also welcomed the specialised units, stating that they mark a crucial step in dismantling sophisticated criminal networks that threaten communities, businesses, and the province’s economic stability.
“Gauteng remains the economic hub of our country, and we cannot allow criminal syndicates and organised crime networks to undermine the safety of our residents and the confidence of investors,” said Lesufi, stressing that combating complex criminal activity requires intelligence-driven operations and close collaboration between law enforcement and communities.
The Star