The Democratic Alliance has renewed its push for greater
policing powers at local government level, saying cities like Cape Town need
more authority to fight crime effectively.
At a dispute held on Monday, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis outlined the party’s position, arguing that municipalities are often on the frontline of crime but lack the legal powers to respond fully. He says giving metro police expanded authority could help tackle issues like gang violence, drug-related crime, and slow response times.
The City's MMC for Safety and Security, JP Smith stressed that the current system places too much responsibility on the South African Police Service, which causes failure in the justice system.
He says devolving certain policing functions to capable metros would improve efficiency and accountability.
The DA says its proposal is not about replacing national
policing, but about strengthening it through partnership. The party has also
pointed to existing metro police services as a foundation that could be
expanded with investigative powers and better resources.
However, the proposal has not gone unchallenged.
The GOOD party has strongly opposed the DA’s stance,
criticising the briefing as insufficient in addressing the urgency of crime on
the ground. GOOD Secretary-General and Cape Town mayoral candidate Brett Herron
says discussions and proposals are not enough.
Herron argues that communities are dealing with daily violence and need immediate, practical interventions rather than long-term policy debates.
The disagreement highlights a broader debate about how best
to address crime in South Africa’s cities. Whether expanded policing powers are
the solution or whether more immediate interventions are needed remains at the
centre of this growing debate.
Done by: Nia Damoense
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