Much emphasis has been placed on increasing visible policing and increasing arrests in Khayelitsha. Photo by Adam Armstrong.
28 March 2014
On 28 March, Major General Peter Jacobs, the Provincial Head of Crime Intelligence, gave evidence at the Khayelitsha Commission about visible policing.
General Jacobs is head of Crime Intelligence for the Province. He was stationed in Khayelitsha as a visible policing member 10 years ago. He said he “walked the beat”.
Jacobs said the majority of crime in his area was caused by a small number of gangsters and career criminals.
“They had names like Massanda, Shoes and Speed,” he said. “I had a list of 16 people, and if I knew they were in jail, then my area would be quiet. That was 10 years ago. Half of them are dead now. The rest went to jail. Many are getting out, and now they are ‘numbers’ gangsters.”
Instead of creating justice and change, sending criminals to prison seemed to create only a reprieve for the community.
“If we are sending people to prison, and we know there are problems there [with gangs], what are we setting up?” Jacobs asked the commission.
Throughout the commission, there has been a strong focus on increasing arrests, increasing investigative skills, improving policing capabilities and ultimately ensuring more criminals are sent to jail.
However, General Jacobs’ comments suggest convicted criminals come out of prison even more violent and still criminally inclined.