Court ruling allows AGU officers facing serious charges to resume duties

Eleven members of the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) facing serious criminal charges have been allowed to return to work in Manenberg after the Western Cape High Court relaxed their bail conditions.

The ruling follows submissions heard on February 5, from Western Cape Deputy Provincial Commissioner Major-General Bongani Maqashalala and AGU commander Brigadier Karl Wienand, who argued that the restriction barring the officers from entering Manenberg should not be final.

The officers face charges including kidnapping, torture, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, attempting to defeat the administration of justice, and the murder of alleged Clever Kidz (CK) gangster Wade Price.

Price died on December 4, 2025, following an interrogation linked to a shooting incident outside the Athlone Magistrate’s Court the day before.

Addressing the court, Wienand said AGU members are deployed according to gang threats and hotspot areas where violence is most common.

Wienand said: “If normal policing cannot contain gang violence, a request is made for the AGU to intervene.”

He added that while the team would not be specifically deployed to Manenberg, there may be instances where their presence is required.

Judge Mas-udah Pangarker questioned whether other AGU members could instead be deployed to the areas where the alleged incidents occurred and whether the bail conditions could be “tailored”.

Wienand responded that the majority of gang violence occurs in those same areas and that the officers may be required to assist should other policing agencies come under attack.

Maqashalala told the court that preventing the officers from entering Manenberg, even when travelling through the area, could delay response times, particularly given the shortage of AGU members.

The court ruled that the bail condition be relaxed, allowing the officers to enter Manenberg strictly in their professional capacity.

Meanwhile, DA MP Nicholas Gotsell, serving on Parliament’s Select Committee on Security and Justice, said the AGU continues to operate under severe strain.

Gotsell said: “Parliament has repeatedly raised concerns about the severe under-resourcing of the Western Cape Anti-Gang Unit, and SAPS’ own replies confirm that the problem lies with management rather than the unit itself.”

He added that while the AGU had been considered for additional funding, key investigative and support components were operating at as little as 31 percent and 51 percent of their approved strength.

He said: “AGU members are operating under intense pressure with minimal support, and the bail conditions imposed on the accused officers are highly technical, which has led to confusion on the ground.”

Defence attorney Bruce Hendricks said that he has consulted with his clients, who have indicated that they will abide by the court’s decision.

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