97% of Wentworth residents feel unsafe: community demands KZN Premier fulfil police deployment promise

WENTWORTH community leaders have delivered a formal memorandum to KZN Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli's office, demanding he fulfil his promise of additional police deployments to address rampant gang violence.

With 97% of residents feeling unsafe and shootings becoming a daily reality, the community is seeking urgent intervention through a five-point action plan that includes independent police oversight, increased police presence, tackling the drug trade, anti-gang youth programs, and criminal justice system reforms.

Two weeks ago, Ntuli released a statement where he said he would engage with the KZN police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, to ensure the immediate deployment of additional police officers to Wentworth. 

He said this was aimed at strengthening police visibility and restoring peace and stability in the area.”

Ntuli said his office was planning to take the Premier’s Crime-Fighting Imbizo to Wentworth, where he would engage directly with the community.

He said he will be accompanied by law-enforcement and crime-fighting agencies operating across KZN.

Ntuli added he was deeply concerned over the recurring gun-related violence that continues to destabilise communities across the province. He emphasised that tackling violent crime required a coordinated and multisectoral approach, involving the SAPS, community policing structures, local municipalities, and all spheres of government. 

“Only a unified and consistent effort can successfully dismantle criminal networks, reduce the circulation of illegal firearms, and restore peace in affected communities. The people of KZN deserve to live in safe and peaceful environments. We cannot allow gun-wielding criminals to hold our communities hostage. I am calling for immediate action, strengthened policing operations, and the full weight of the law to be brought upon those responsible for this barbaric act,” said Ntuli.

He urged community safety structures and residents in Wentworth and surrounding areas to cooperate closely with law-enforcement authorities. He said community information-sharing is crucial for identifying suspects, speeding up investigations, and preventing further incidents.

Darian Smith, a community leader, said the idea to hand over the memorandum was born after conversations with over 1 000 Wentworth residents during a survey.

“97.4% of the residents said they felt unsafe in their own community, due to shootings which are a daily reality. The memorandum addresses this crisis through five key themes.

“Our community has lost confidence in local policing. We have requested independent oversight, transparent accountability, and secure reporting channels that protect informants.

“We are calling for more police presence, quicker response times, more police vehicles and protocols that actually save people.

“We also call for police to address the drug trade that fuels most of the violence. We have requested coordinated action against drug infrastructure while advocating for rehabilitation programs and youth employment alternatives.

“Gang recruitment begins in primary school. We have called for specialised intervention, school-based programs, and mentorship giving young people a different path,” he added.

Smith said they also called for reforms of the criminal justice system.

“Too many cases go unsolved and families receive no updates. We have requested proper case management and accountability. We have also pledged our own commitment. We committed to participate in community policing, report crimes properly, hold our own families accountable, and support officers demonstrating integrity.

“We are not demanding miracles overnight. We are requesting genuine partnership with transparency, accountability, and sustained action,” he added.

“We expect a written response within 14 days, an in-person meeting within 30 days, and measurable progress within 90 days.

“This is about building bridges. Wentworth is ready to be part of the solution. We need leadership to meet us with honesty, resources, and commitment. Our children deserve a community of hope, not horror. Together, we believe this is possible,” Smith added.

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