DA officials in the Western Cape visited LEAP officers in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain, to understand how they are helping to fight crime in the area and to find out what their needs are to do even more.
PICTURED: Officials checking if a Rocklands tavern is complaint with the WCLAThe oversight visit comes in light of the latest crime statitstics
released by Police Minister Bheki Cele.
The latest stats reveals that more than a 1 000 people
were murdered in the Western Cape in the first 3 months of 2022.
The DA Leader in the
Western Cape, Tertuis Simmers, says he is shocked by the
latest crime stats and has called for the resignation of Police minister, Bheki
Cele.
“The
latest crime statistics have shocked us all and again raise our concerns that
SAPS in the Western Cape is under-resourced. Minister Bheki Cele is failing the
people of the Western Cape and he is failing in his duty to make South Africa
safer for all. The DA in the Western Cape, as well as the Western Cape
Government and the City of Cape Town, call for Minister Cele to step down immediately.”
Simmers
was joined by the Western Cape's Community Safety & Police Oversight MEC,
Reagen Allen, DA Chairperson in the Western Cape, Jaco Londt, and the City of
Cape Town's Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith.
The
oversight visit included inspections of liquor outlet in the area.
Western
Cape’s Community Safety & Police Oversight MEC, Reagen Allen, said the main
drivers of murder in the area are alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and illegal firearms.
“We
[authorities] are aware in terms of the crime stats, that alcohol and the lack
of responsible drinking contributes to violence, crime and assaults. So to
regulate the alcohol industry, also to make sure more responsible drinking
happens and ensure the outlets are within the perimeter of the law.”
Allen says
the number of LEAP officers deployed in hotspot areas changes on a regular basis,
depending on where they are needed. LEAP officers are deployed in thirteen
stations.
“The
Western Cape’s safety plan is a 2 prong approach. Law enforcement officers,
LEAP officers, boots on the ground. Violence prevention is a key component if we
consider the social ills that many communities face. Departments work together
to eradicate anti-social behaviours, We need to make sure we work with SAPS and
make sure gangsters are ultimately arrested and convicted.”
Mayco
member for safety and security, JP Smith, has called on the resignation of
Cele, saying that the police resources are being cut despite the high number of
crime in the country.
“The
crime stats are deeply alarming. Its indicative of the unfortunate and
sustained disinvestment in policing. Our budget has been cut, We are loosing
26 000 staff members, you see those cuts in Khayelitsha, Mitchell’s Plain
and Cape Town Central. The lack of police resources is causing communities to
pay the price and this is why we deployed LEAP officers.
Smith has
called on national government to devolve policing into provinces.
“SAPS has
been a rollercoaster of increased dysfunction and poorer results for
communities all the time. Serious starvation and resources and again its time
that SAPS elsewhere as in provincial and local control. This being under
control.of national government is not serving our communities well.”
Smith
says he's concerned about liquor outlets in residential areas.
“I’m deeply
uncomfortable with liquor stores in residential areas as are most communities.
Residents who live near them suffer the consequences of the noise and impact on
them continuously. I don’t think liquor stores belong in residential areas.
They are a disservice in the community.”
PICTURE: Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith; DA Leader in the Western Cape, Tertuis Simmers, watching LEAP officers conducting inspections“There’s a reason for the LEAP officers today [during the oversight visits] as they are normally confiscating firearms and drugs, but we wanted to profile the liquor enforcement. We work with SAPS and Western Cape Liquor Authority. Liquor is our major contributor to our death rate in our communities and those drive up our murder statistics.
Simmers says
that he is proud of the work that LEAP is doing to assist SAPS and the City of
Cape Town’s Law Enforcement to make our communities safer.
“LEAP
forms part of the DA-led Western Cape Government’s Provincial Safety Plan and I
am reassured today of the positive impact their work has in the community.”
PICTURED: LEAP Officers outside a liquor outlet in Rocklands, Mitchell's PlainDone By:
Mitchum George
No comments:
Post a Comment