IT WAS supposed to be a peaceful meeting between police bosses, the police minister and residents.
But things took a dramatic turn when Fikile Mbalula gave a reformed gangster a piece of his mind.
Ex-gangster Julian Julies stood up in the meeting to address Mbalula and introduced himself as “minister of gangsters”.
There was chaos at the meeting in Helenvale, Port Elizabeth, in the Eastern Cape on Friday.
“I won’t be addressed by a gangster. Get out of here,” Mbalula told Julian.
“The cops might be afraid of you, but I’m not. I don’t admire gangsters.
“They terrorise the community. They’ll not be allowed here.”
Julian responded: “Why is this man chasing me out of the hall? I’m no longer a gangster.”
Mbalula warned gangs that it was just a matter of time before cops dealt with them.
“We’ll find them, we’ll squeeze them and cut them to size.”
He said soldiers would be sent to assist police, and a new cop shop would be built in Helenvale.
“The soldiers are not coming here to kill anybody but will deal with anyone who is combative.
“We’re going to sweep this place, street by street, house by house and take those guns,” said Mbalula.
A resident said: “We really need soldiers’ intervention in our area.”
