…Researched and contributed by Larry John.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, Education MEC Matome Chiloane, and Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko visited the families of two primary school learners who were murdered on 19 April 2023.
The two learners, who attended Isiseko Primary School in Soweto, were allegedly abducted in Rockville before their bodies were discovered in White City.
Reports suggest that the two young boys were in Grade 1, and one child in Grade R, and that one boy survived the abduction.
Heinous act sparks manhunt
Gauteng Police are searching for the people responsible for this heinous act, which Lesufi described as showing that people are not safe in their communities.
He emphasized that the incident must not be tolerated and that state resources must be unleashed to ensure that the police do everything in their power to understand why people behave in this way.
Lesufi’s commitment to fighting crime
Lesufi listed his plans for ending crime in Gauteng Province in his State of the Province address speech in February.
He emphasized that fighting crime should be the apex priority and that all available resources should be deployed to tackle it.
The budget for fighting crime is set to increase from R750 million to multibillion in the next three years.
Commentary
The murder of two young boys is a tragedy and a stark reminder of the need to tackle crime in South Africa.
Lesufi’s visit to the families of the victims is an important show of support, and his commitment to fighting crime in Gauteng Province is encouraging.
However, there is still much work to be done to ensure that people are safe in their communities.
The incident highlights the need for greater investment in community policing and crime prevention programs.
It is essential to ensure that law enforcement agencies have the resources they need to tackle crime effectively and bring perpetrators to justice.