City officials JP Smith and Angus McKenzie have welcomed the arrest of a Langa resident linked to the murder of 64-year-old Karin van Aardt, urging communities to help dismantle smash-and-grab syndicates as police pursue more suspects. While City officials have welcomed the arrest of a 33-year-old Langa resident for the murder of 64-year-old Karin van Aardt, they have indicated more arrests are expected with the net slowly in on the syndicate. Van Aardt, a grandmother from Nelspruit, had just arrived in Cape Town to celebrate her granddaughter’s birthday when she was fatally attacked during a smash-and-grab at Jakkalsvlei Avenue and Jakes Gerwel Drive.
Her killing intensified public outrage and renewed scrutiny of violent roadside crime across the city. Mayco Member for Safety and Security JP Smith said enforcement teams acted with precision and urgency and would continue to drive the effort for arrests: “The City will continue to assist SAPS in its investigation through CCTV, boots on the ground, and the sharing of information. “We have also appealed directly to residents of Langa for any information that can lead to the arrest and conviction of all those involved in this case.
Our NSOs were again in Langa, distributing pamphlets and encouraging residents to help us identify the syndicates behind these attacks. “I want to commend Bishops Lavis SAPS, the City’s Law Enforcement, Metro Police, the City’s SSIU and SSIMS for their excellent work which has led to the arrest of a suspect linked to the tragic murder of Karin van Aardt,” he said. “Their swift and coordinated action over the past few days demonstrates the value of close cooperation between enforcement agencies.”
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