Cape Town calls for more Public Order Policing support to protect public land from illegal invasion
4 September 2020
‘We all saw the nature of recent Cape Town land invasions in the media and our neighbourhoods, and the huge spike of well-organised invasion attempts in over 30 different parts of the metro. Within our limited resources, we are standing firm against land invasions, but we cannot do it alone. We need Public Order Policing support to protect land intended for housing, community facilities, schools, transport, and basic services,’ said Mayor Plato.
There are 135 fewer public order policing officials in the Western Cape since 2018 according to a 17 July parliamentary question response by Minister of Police Bheki Cele.
Mayor Plato previously wrote to the National Police Commissioner Kehla Sithole on 28 August on sending more public order policing support to Cape Town. In June, the Mayor called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to coordinate an urgent response to the national crisis of land invasions.
In the City’s presentation to the committee, Mayor Plato raised further concerns about the R1,3 billion in housing projects currently under threat of invasion. The Mayor also raised concerns with MPs about the South African Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) High Court bid to declare counter-spoliation unlawful, and for the common law to be amended.