The Eastern Cape police have declared a fullstop to the ‘Amagintsa’ (hijackers) culture of racing vehicles and shooting at the funerals of deceased vehicle hijackers.
“This behaviour is unacceptable and endangers members of the public at graveyards and those attending the funeral including innocent bystanders,” Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga told community members at an official event in Whittlesea recently.
Reporting on her warning, SAPS spokesperson Captain Khaya Tonjeni said ‘Amagintsa’ have the dangerous trend of stealing vehicles only to burn them later or during the funerals of one or more of their own.
“Some of them would go to the extent of shooting randomly in the air in any direction; a conduct that is equivalent to attempted murder or murder of innocent people.”
During the launch of Operation Fiela 2, on 9 February 2018 Eastern Cape police learnt that a notable number of funerals of deceased vehicle hijackers were scheduled to happen throughout that weekend. Members were deployed at the venues of the funerals, on major roads and at the graveyards to ensure that no one conducted themselves in such a manner.
Ntshinga strongly condemned this life-risking behaviour saying it would not be tolerated in our province and issued strict instructions to arrest anyone in the province invovled in such activity.
“We were in Port Elizabeth (PE) with Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Safety, Mr Peter launching Operation Fiela 2 when we noted criminals who were trying to hijack car,” Ntshinga said.
Some had gone to the Volkswagen plant to steal seven cars, but police had managed to recover some of them.
“We sent our members to stop them at their tracks and even in funerals we deployed police vehicles and members to protect the public and stamp our authority,” Ntshinga said. “Now we are here in Sada [Whittlesea] and we obligate ourselves to do what we did in Port Elizabeth and in other parts of the province. We are reclaiming every space and we will sweep this province with the assistance of Operation Fiela 2 and our dedicated members.”
The Provincial Commissioner pleaded to the members of the community to share with the police information about places used to keep stolen property, drug dens, drug dealing and illegal firearms. All information shared would be treated as confidential.
