Parliament has now formally scheduled a hearing to consider the Democratic Alliance’s petition calling for urgent national intervention in the Northern Areas of Nelson Mandela Bay. This follows months of sustained pressure and community mobilisation in response to the escalating violence that has left far too many families shattered by gang-related killings.
The Portfolio Committee on Police will meet on Wednesday, 7 May 2025, to deliberate on the matter. This step represents a vital platform to ensure that residents’ lived experiences are heard at the highest levels and that SAPS is equipped with the resources it desperately needs to restore order in a community under siege.
This is not just a procedural victory. It results from relentless advocacy, multiple formal submissions, community protests, and direct engagements. The people of the Northern Areas have been clear: they cannot wait any longer for safety to return to their streets and homes.
[see submissions here, here and here]
We thank the Chairperson of the Committee, DA MP Ian Cameron, for recognising the gravity of the situation and ensuring that this petition is taken seriously. The hearing will give voice to a community overlooked in national policing priorities.
The reality on the ground is stark. SAPS officers are outgunned, outnumbered, and exhausted. Many serve with distinction, but their efforts are undermined without the tools and reinforcements they need. Our police stations are overwhelmed. Violent crime continues to rise. Mothers bury their children while gang leaders walk free.
At the hearing, we will argue for immediate and coordinated intervention. This includes deploying specialised policing units, enhanced crime intelligence capacity, the rollout of surveillance technology, and long-term socio-economic support to dismantle the roots of gangsterism.
These are not new demands. They have been made repeatedly in correspondence with the Ministry of Police and through formal channels in both the Eastern Cape Legislature and the National Assembly.
This hearing is a chance to move from promises to implementation. It is an opportunity to prove that Parliament can act when communities seek protection. It is a test of political will.
The DA will continue to fight, both inside and outside the Legislature, until the people of the Northern Areas are no longer trapped in a cycle of fear and violence. This petition is not the end of the road. It is a turning point in the battle for justice, dignity, and safety for all.