City’s Mayoral Committee Member For Safety and Security Alderman JP Smith has issued the statement, “Accept our help before more lives are lost”.
Also read: Construction workers shot in possible extortion on City’s housing projects
Smith was moved by the loss of a colleague who was shot in Delft’s Symphony Way while overseeing a housing project.
“I mourn with the family of the City employee who was murdered on duty this week.”
Tragically, an official of the City was shot and killed this week at the site of a previously targeted housing development, amid a growing trend of intimidation and violence directed at City housing projects.
The increasing incidents whereby extortion syndicates threaten the construction industry, has been widely publicised. The immediate threat of violence and intimidation to site workers, employees and management of various construction sites across our city cannot be left ignored.
The City is offering a reward of R100,000 for information leading to the successful prosecution of those responsible for her murder.
“We are undertaking a full investigation through the Safety and Security Investigations Unit into this matter and will seek the co-operation of all related enforcement agencies.”
“This is cold comfort to the family, and while this will not return their loved one, I hope it will help bring her killer or killers to book,” said Smith
The City is currently making significant investments in crime-fighting technology and we are able to support SAPS with cutting-edge solutions that would greatly increase policing effectiveness in the fight against crime. We will further drive the capacity of our Investigative and Information Management components to support these strategies.
Data-led decision-making is increasingly guiding the City’s daily crime prevention operations. We can do even more to fight crime were SAPS to share the live crime information on a weekly or daily basis rather than outdated, historic statistics. With real-time information about what crime is happening and where it happens, the City enforcement resources would be able to be much more responsive and target its policing resources to the right places at the right time.
The quarterly crime stats currently provided months after they take place, represent more of a history lesson highlighting the shortcomings of policing, rather than a crime intelligence tool set which may be used to direct and focus policing efforts.
Also read: Construction workers shot in possible extortion on City’s housing projects
The crime stats release this past Friday paints a dismal picture. There has been a general increases in violent crime and murder in the latest Quarterly Crime Stats for October to December 2022, with a 13.4% overall increase in the Western Cape.
“We want to help, we are able to help, but we cannot just forge ahead on our own, without the necessary information and intelligence. “
“As we grieve our colleague, we lament the delay in establishing the inter-governmental Kidnapping and Extortion Task Team or Unit which we have called for and as previously agreed upon, to tackle the increased instances of extortion and kidnappings for ransom occurring across the city. The establishment thereof is being delayed by hesitation on the side of SAPS in accepting the mandates and authority of the City to contribute in combating these crimes.”
Rather than constantly trying to challenge our legal rights and delaying the cooperation, the City requests the National Minister and National Commissioner to honour their commitment and immediately establish the Kidnapping and Extortion Unit in Cape Town, before any further loss of life occurs.
The City again extends its offer to the South African Police Service of assistance in tackling the scourge of kidnapping and extortion.
“SAPS has to come to the table if we are to stop this violent onslaught on our communities.
- Anonymous tip-offs welcomed
- Call: 0800 1100 77
The City will pay a reward where its policing resources achieve an operational result that directly relates to information received, such as an arrest, confiscation of contraband or illegal firearms, recovery of stolen goods, the rescue of a kidnapped victim, etc.
The system is NOT open to people under the age of 18 or City of Cape Town employees.
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Picture: Getty Images