The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety has issued a strongly worded condemnation of the shooting incident that took place outside the Booysens Magistrate Court. This attack went as far as causing the death of two people and injuring three others, as it came as a great shock to the committee that such an incident took place at a place that is a gun-free and national key point area of high security.
The Committee’s primary concern is the inadequacy of the security measures. They compelled the private security company contracted to guard the court to take full responsibility for the security breach and termed the incident a costly failure that resulted in the loss of life. The audacity exhibited by the assailants is seen as an affront to the authority of the justice system, highlighting their apparent disregard for its legitimacy.
The incident has further brought to the fore the Committee’s continuous concern regarding the proliferation of illegal guns in Gauteng and has reignited calls for tougher controls over guns and intelligent policing if the province is to be made gun-free. The relative ease at which high-calibre guns are acquired by certain individuals has been one of the major challenges to safety.
Further, the Committee was also made to understand that the suspects were utilising a vehicle that had cloned number plates, and it is clear that the use of such is one of the tactics of organised crime. The Committee then called on the South African Police Service to use intensive techniques to break these groups and ensure that the culprits are dealt with to demonstrate that the law will finally triumph.
The Committee conveyed condolences to the affected families, expressed hope for a speedy recovery for those injured, and appealed to the community for assistance in providing any information that might help; they also stated that community cooperation is essential for ending such acts of terrorism and promised to enhance vigilance regarding security standards at all justice departments to ensure the safety of the people of Gauteng.
