Concerns over escalating gang-related violence were raised in parliament by Paulnita Marais, who submitted a written question to acting police minister Firoz Cachalia. Marais sought clarity on what urgent measures would be implemented to stabilise Freedom Square, protect residents and prevent the area from descending into a crisis similar to that experienced in the Cape Flats.

The question follows reports that residents are living in fear due to persistent gun-related violence in the area. In his response, Cachalia said Freedom Square, which falls within the precinct of the Kopanong SAPS in the Mangaung metro, comprises both formal and informal settlements.

“While serious crimes reported at Kopanong SAPS do not reflect a daily occurrence of gun violence in Freedom Square, incidents of violence are primarily linked to unregistered groupings of young males acting as gangs. 

“Not all firearm-related crimes in the area are gang-related, but the presence of these youth groupings poses a significant challenge to community safety.”

To address the situation, Cachalia said the local police station has been reinforced with specialised units, including the Anti-Gang Unit, Public Order Policing and the K9 Unit.

Regular patrols

Operational measures currently being implemented in Freedom Square include stop-and-search operations targeting suspicious individuals and vehicles, vehicle checkpoints, regular patrols and observation duties. 

Police are also tracing wanted suspects, maintaining a database of known gangs and their leaders, and working with the local ward councillor through community engagement initiatives.

Cachalia said efforts to remove illegal firearms from the streets are driven by intelligence gathering and community cooperation.

Illegal weapons

These measures include recruiting informants to identify suspects and locations where firearms are hidden, intelligence-led operations targeting illegal firearms and ammunition, and encouraging residents to report illegal weapons anonymously via the MySAPS app and SAPS helpline channels.

“These initiatives aim to disrupt the supply of illegal weapons and reduce firearm-related violence,” Cachalia emphasised protecting residents remains a priority for law enforcement agencies operating in the area.

“All policing actions in Freedom Square are directed toward safeguarding the community. SAPS provides a 24-hour service with swift responses to reported incidents. Specialised units such as the flying squad and anti-gang unit are consistently deployed to ensure rapid intervention when required.”

He said the police have invested in strengthening the capacity and resilience of officers tasked with confronting gang-related crime. Measures include the deployment of units trained to respond to medium-risk operational environments, extensive training and refresher courses to improve operational effectiveness, and the establishment of an anti-gang unit in Bloemfontein to combat gang-related crime across the city.

The response comes amid growing concern from residents and political leaders over the impact of gang activity on communities in Mangaung, with authorities under pressure to ensure criminal groupings do not gain a stronger foothold in the area.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg

• Have a news tip to share? Phone or whatsapp the OFM News Hotline: 066 487 1427.