Hope Ntanzi|Published1 hour agoPolice Committee in Parliament requests deadline extension for Cape Town gang violence …

Parliament’s Police Committee wants more time to complete its inquiry into Cape Town gang violence. Gang-related violent crime in Cape Town and other provinces is deeply entrenched, necessitating a focused inquiry, according to the Portfolio Committee on Police. The committee has resolved to ask the National Assembly to extend the deadline for tabling its report on the inquiry into gang-related violent crime in Cape Town, saying the scope and complexity of the work requires additional time to ensure meaningful outcomes.

This comes after the committee held a preliminary session to consider the inquiry’s terms of reference and received an initial briefing from SAPS. Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, said violent gang-related crime has become a serious and entrenched challenge affecting communities across Cape Town, with similar patterns also seen in other provinces. “Violent gang-related crime has become an entrenched challenge in the City of Cape Town.

Communities continue to face rising incidents of murder, drug-related offences and associated violent crime. ”This demands a focused and impactful inquiry, which requires adequate time,” Cameron said. The National Assembly mandated the committee on 25 November 2025 to conduct the inquiry under parliamentary rules, with an initial reporting deadline of 30 June 2026.

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However, the committee now believes more time is needed due to the widespread nature of gang activity across the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. Cameron said the work of the committee had also been delayed due to members participating in the Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, which affected the start of the inquiry. “It is therefore necessary to request an extension to ensure that the inquiry delivers impactful outcomes and actionable recommendations,” he said. During its engagement with SAPS, the committee raised concerns about the poor resourcing of anti-gang units, including shortages of personnel and operational tools needed to combat gang violence effectively.

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