President Ramaphosa, there is an immediate way to help SAPS fight crime
9 January 2023
The City of Cape Town has a pending request with the Ministers of Justice and Police for more policing powers to be devolved to the metro’s well-trained law enforcement agencies. To date, both Ministers have failed to respond, and attempts to escalate this to the President have so far fallen on deaf ears. This is despite the immediate and positive impact devolving policing powers would have in helping communities living in daily fear of crime.
SAPS sorely needs assistance given that 71% of Western Cape police stations have seen a decline in police personnel in the past five financial years.
‘Cape Town would welcome improved SAPS resourcing as per the President’s commitment yesterday. This is especially needed in high crime areas. But the City is already able to do more to immediately help SAPS fight crime should President Ramaphosa devolve more policing powers to our well-trained municipal enforcement agencies.
‘We are already taking guns and drugs off the streets every day, and more powers would enable us to build prosecution-ready case dockets to gain convictions. A declaration by the Justice Minister would get this done immediately, and a SAPS Act amendment would further consolidate progress. We call on the President to devolve more policing powers to well-run local authorities without delay as this will be a quick win to make communities safer in addition to growing SAPS resources over time,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.