By BAKANG MOKOTO
4 November 2025- The South African Union Council of Independent Churches (SAUCIC) on Tuesday called for a comprehensive strategy to deal with gangsterism and the proliferation of guns contributing to escalating senseless violence and loss of lives. This follows the killing of six people in a drive-by shooting that has left three injured over the weekend at Reiger Park near Benoni.
SAUCIC president, Cardinal Archbishop Dr Modiri Patrick Shole condemned in the strongest terms possible the monstrous incident that has left communities in the East Rand reeling with shock describing it as atrocious and barbaric. Shole said they welcome the deployment of an additional investigating team to tackle the ongoing violence and the backlog of violent crime cases that need to be cleared.
“The effort to tackle the scourge of violent crime terrorising our communities must be bolstered and a strong partnership between law enforcement and our communities established in order to restore the rule of law as well as confidence in the criminal justice system.
“We convey our heartfelt condolences to bereaved families and wishing those injured a speedy recovery on behalf of affiliated Federations of Charismatic, Evangelical Outreach Mission Ministries and Pentecostal Churches. The culture of impunity that has emboldened heartless criminals must be confronted, if the trust deficit is to be replaced by effective and proactive policing that is responsive to the reign of terror that is supporting the drug trade,” he said.
Shole urged communities to draw the line in the sand and recommit themselves not to harbour criminals in their neighbourhoods.
“None of our communities will be safer with armed heartless criminals responsible for such heinous acts roaming our streets and neighbourhoods. Law enforcement must saturate the area, throw the gauntlet at criminals and leave no stone left unturned until the marauding gang is put behind bars before more innocent lives are lost.
“We appeal to communities to unite in action in order to rid themselves of organised criminal syndicates holding them hostage to terror and hopelessness.
The church must be at the forefront of reclaiming civil activism and redouble its effort to support crime prevention structures including democratic, accountable community policing,” he said.
The Guardian 