Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
Friday 15 December 1995
At around 05h30 this morning, members of the SA National Defence Force and the SA Police Services conducted a joint cordon search-and-seize operation to recover illegal firearms in three of Gauteng's informal settlements: Phola Park, Mandela and Chris Hani settlements on the East Rand.
The Gauteng Government decided to launch this operation following requests by the Safety & Security Ministry, pleas by members of the said communities, as well as by leaders of those communities.
Over the last two weeks, several people were killed at the hands of criminal elements who had induced fear into these communities - particularly Phola Park.
Last year, shortly after the general election, our government joined a call by President Mandela for all illegal firearms to be surrendered to law enforcement agencies. An amnesty was declared for all those willing to do so, and we are happy the that scores of people responded positively. Evidently, this call fell on deaf ears in the case of some faceless criminal elements.
It is against these elements that this firm action was directed this morning.
The action was also directed against the so-called Self Defence Units - criminal bands who hide behind the title SDU to pursue their own gains. There are no longer any SDUs of any nature i the province following the integration proess.
Quite clearly, illegal weapons in the hands of such individuals are used to murer, to rape, to steal, to hijack and to instill fear. Repeated requests have been received from the communities to crack down on criminality in the area. This morning, we did so and shall continue to do so as part of the national safety plan, for the maximum reduction of crime - and in certain cases, to wipe it out completely.
This action should send a clear and unambiguous message to criminals throughout Gauteng, to those who are on the offside of the law: Gauteng is not a safe place for you. And the same goes for the rest of our country.
We congratulate the police and the army - particularly their senior officers - who backed this plan without equivocation. We also congratulate the communities and the community leaders for their support of the operation.
We also understand that, while slight inconveniences were caused to the people in their normal day to day lives, we would rather inconvenience people today than bury them tomorrow. We urge people to continue their support for the national safety plan.
Similar actions can be expected as and when necessary.