CAPE TOWN - Western Cape Police Commissioner Thembisile Patekile says they're extremely concerned by the spike in crime in the province.
There's been a dramatic increase in murders and attempted murders.
Patekile was speaking during the release of crime stats for the period from July to September.
Police in the province have arrested more than 230 gang leaders and members in a renewed crackdown on organised crime.
During the period under review, 114 gang leaders and 116 gang members were arrested.
Additionally, there were 65 arrests linked to extortion and 125 arrests for kidnapping-related crimes.
Patekile says the widespread availability of illegal firearms and ammunition remains a major driver of violent crime in the province.
In the same period, police seized 1,291 firearms, recovered 32,476 rounds of ammunition, and confiscated 12,924 dangerous weapons.
While these arrests and seizures have helped disrupt criminal networks and brought some relief to communities affected by violence, Patekile warns that serious challenges persist.
“The release from prison of parolees or completion of sentences, or in some cases where they are not convicted because they are instrumental within crime groupings, violence erupts, and as a result, in multiple matters, this manifests in gang extortion in taxi spaces,” he said.