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Inside the courtroom battle involving 11 Anti-Gang Unit officers
A case that has gripped Cape Town
The Athlone Magistrates’ Court was heavy with tension this week as eleven members of the Anti-Gang Unit stood before the bench, accused of kidnapping and murdering an alleged gang member. Supporters of the officers packed one side of the gallery, while family members and community figures linked to the deceased filled the other. The divide in the room reflected a wider split playing out across Cape Town’s gang-scarred suburbs.
The accused officers, whose names remain protected by a court order, say they are being abandoned by the very system they served. In sworn affidavits, they claim the State has placed them in danger by keeping them behind bars, where they have allegedly received threats from inmates at Pollsmoor Prison. Some say people they previously arrested recognised them in holding cells and promised retaliation.
What the State alleges happened
According to the State’s version, the events began in early December after a shooting outside the Athlone Magistrates’ Court. Wade Price, described in court as an alleged member of the Clever Kidz gang from Manenberg, was questioned by the officers the following day.
Investigators say the officers knew about Price’s alleged gang links and unlawfully transported him and three others into territory controlled by the Hard Livings gang. The group was allegedly driven around while in police custody before being taken to Manenberg SAPS. CCTV footage presented to the court is said to show all four entering the station together, matching the accounts given by Price’s friends.
While the three companions were later released, the State claims Price was taken to a property on Vygekraal Road. It is there, prosecutors allege, that he was assaulted with unknown objects and suffocated, leading to his death. A fifth charge, attempting to defeat the administration of justice, has since been added to the case.
Officers say they are being treated like criminals
All eleven officers have denied the charges. During bail proceedings, several expressed disbelief that the State is opposing their release, particularly after the Independent Police Investigative Directorate reportedly recommended bail of R1,000.
One officer told the court he is due to be married just days from now and fears he will instead spend that time in custody. Another said they are being guarded like the country’s most dangerous suspects despite years of working alongside the State to remove violent criminals from the streets. They insist they will not flee and will not interfere with witnesses.
The State is expected to argue otherwise. Prosecutors say the accused officers personally interviewed witnesses on the day Price died, raising concerns about possible intimidation or interference if they are released.
Anger and frustration outside the court
Outside the courthouse, residents from Manenberg staged a protest, voicing long-standing frustration with policing in their area. Placards and chants accused the Anti-Gang Unit of failing to make communities safer, despite its high-profile mandate to tackle organised crime.
This public anger adds another layer to an already complex case. In neighbourhoods like Manenberg, trust in law enforcement has been worn down by years of violence, raids, and unresolved cases. For some residents, this trial represents a rare moment of accountability. For others, it feels like a dangerous blow to already overstretched crime-fighting units.
What happens next
The court has heard that witnesses allegedly saw Price enter the Vygekraal Road property alive with the officers, with emergency services only called after his death. One of the accused, however, claims he personally contacted paramedics before Price died.
The matter has been postponed to 19 December for further argument, with bail still firmly contested. As the legal process unfolds, the case continues to expose deep fault lines between police, prosecutors, and the communities caught in the middle.
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: Smile 90.4FM
