Rise Mzansi has criticised law enforcement authorities for what it describes as a failure to tackle the proliferation of illegal firearms, following a mass shooting in Cleveland, Johannesburg, that left 12 people dead and 10 others injured.
The attack took place on Tuesday night in the Jumpers informal settlement, where more than 10 heavily armed suspects allegedly opened fire indiscriminately on residents before fleeing the scene.
Gauteng police have since launched a manhunt for the suspects as investigations into the deadly attack continue.
Rise Mzansi's Johannesburg mayoral candidate, Lukhona Mnguni, said the incident highlights deep-rooted challenges within the South African Police Service (SAPS), including weakened operational capacity and ineffective leadership.
Mnguni argued that authorities have failed to implement coordinated, intelligence-driven strategies to combat organised crime and prevent recurring mass shootings.
“There’s just not enough leadership to coordinate an intelligence-led response to some of the mass shootings that we have seen in the City of Johannesburg and surrounding municipalities,” he said.
He further claimed that criminal gangs appear to be operating without fear of arrest or consequences, contributing to a growing sense of lawlessness.
“It is quite clear that these gangs operate with a great deal of impunity, without fear of retaliation or consequences from law enforcement. That must come to an end,” Mnguni said.
He added that public confidence in the police has eroded significantly, with many communities no longer viewing law enforcement as a strong deterrent to crime.
“The respect that police officers once commanded simply by their presence has diminished and, in many cases, disappeared,” he said.
The Cleveland shooting is the latest in a series of mass shootings to rock communities across Gauteng and other parts of the country, renewing calls for stronger action against illegal firearms and organised criminal networks.