ActionSA National Chairperson Michael Beaumont, Dereleen James and party’s local leaders. | Supplied
The recently announced ActionSA “fix South Africa” member Dereleen James has laid a criminal case against a notorious gang at Eldorado Park police station on Tuesday afternoon.
This happened after James received threats from the group, after one of their members was arrested by the police.
James said the group had published a post on Facebook which sought to single out her and her family for the recent arrest of their members when police embarked on its law enforcement operations over the past weekend.
The ActionSA member has been one of the key figures in fighting drugs and substance abuse in Eldorado Park.
For her role in fighting substance abuse, Sports Minister Zizi Kodwa appointed her as a board member of the South African institute for drug-free sports.
“The impunity with which these gangs have operated across our country is why Herman Mashaba saw fit to dedicate one of only 18 members of a shadow cabinet to the role of substance abuse.
“These gangs continue to tear apart families and communities under the nose of law enforcement. When strong and capable community leaders emerge, the safety of such leaders and their families is threatened. On the long list of failures by the ANC government, nationally and here in Gauteng, the breakdown of the rule must be one of the greatest failures,” James said.
She continued to say under the ActionSA-led government, a war would be declared on drugs and gangs, adding that law enforcement agencies would receive the full backing from the party leadership to pursue those who make money from the miseries of the community members.
The party’s national chairperson, Michael Beaumont, said it was disheartening to witness these gangs operate and deal drugs while the police do nothing about it.
“It is evident that Dereleen James is the right person to lead the fight against drugs and gangsterism in South Africa. ActionSA stands alongside James and her family and will not back down,” Beaumont said.
A source inside the Eldorado Park police station confirmed to The Star that James indeed opened a case.
James’ life threats comes a day after the newly appointed Gauteng police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni revealed that the murder and attempted murder in the province had increased by 3.8 and 9.4% respectively in the third quarter, while kidnapping spiked by almost 20%.
According to Mthombeni, these crime stats could have been worse. He said, however, said he remained optimistic that things would change for the better going forward.
Mthombeni also highlighted that Gauteng was one of only four of provinces that managed to decrease crime in at least eight forms including rape and sexual assault during the third quarter.
The Star