The police ministry has authorised immediate national policing interventions to improve crime detection, investigations and the tracking and tracing of suspects in and around the OR Tambo district in the Eastern Cape.

The intervention — which will see detective teams at national level move into the area — comes as police minister Bheki Cele, state security deputy minister Zizi Kodwa and police management visited Bityi on Tuesday after seven family members were massacred last week.

According to police reports, the relatives were arranging the burial of a family member who was fatally shot last week. It is alleged three armed men forced their way into the Tantseka homestead in Bityi and opened fire, killing people aged between 29 and 68.

Residents of Bityi expressed their concerns about crime in the area during Cele’s visit.

While police are yet to make arrests for the multiple murders, Cele said whoever committed the crimes needed to be arrested.

“The Eastern Cape is showing increased cases of organised crime and taxi violence as well as cases of extortion and theft. However it is worrying that the crimes don’t match the police work and it’s as if criminals know they will not get caught.

“This is why I am calling for a national intervention by the police to take this district under its wing, find the symptoms and provide diagnosis of policing challenges and, in the shortest time, provide full treatment to ensure the stations are empowered to respond efficiently and effectively to crime on behalf of communities,” Cele said.

He said the intervention in the OR Tambo district will see detective services and entities of the police ministry, including the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, together with the Civilian Secretariat for the police service, work on a diagnosis report on the 18 police stations in the area.

The aim is to address resource challenges impeding police work and implement turnaround programmes to equip the stations and its members to better respond to crime.

The police ministry will on Wednesday release national crime statistics reflecting crimes reported to police from July and September this year.

TimesLIVE