Cape Town could soon have its own dedicated Metro Police detectives if Geordin Hill-Lewis secures another term in office, with the mayor announcing plans to establish what he calls South Africa’s first municipal detective branch, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Speaking in Delft after leading a community march through Zandkloof Street, Hill-Lewis said the city is ready to step into a role traditionally reserved for the South African Police Service (SAPS), arguing that persistent detective shortages are allowing violent criminals to evade justice.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of ongoing concerns over gang violence across parts of the Cape Flats, where residents have repeatedly called for stronger policing, faster investigations and more successful prosecutions.
Hill-Lewis referenced the fatal shooting of four people in Zandkloof Street three months ago, including a 13-year-old boy, saying no arrests have yet been made. Standing near the scene of the killings, he told residents that communities should not be expected to accept violence as a normal part of daily life.
‘Crime is not inevitable, and communities should not be left to live in fear,’
– Geordin Hill-Lewis
According to Hill-Lewis, one of the biggest challenges facing Cape Town is a shortage of detectives within SAPS. He claimed there are close to 200 vacant detective posts across police stations in the city, leaving serious cases such as murders, robberies and sexual offences waiting longer for investigation.
He argued that these shortages have real consequences for victims and their families, many of whom are left waiting months, or even years, for progress in criminal cases.
Under the proposal, Cape Town would recruit and train Metro Police investigators dedicated to gang-related crimes, illegal firearms and drug offences. Hill-Lewis said these officers would focus on gathering evidence, compiling case dockets and supporting prosecutions to improve conviction rates.
Yes we will! https://t.co/q9I7F29Gfl
— Geordin Hill-Lewis (@geordinhl) July 16, 2026
‘With your support in November, we will build South Africa’s first Metro Police Detective Branch,’ he said. He added that the city intends to begin implementing the plan immediately after the local government elections if the DA retains control of Cape Town.
The proposal also revives a long-running dispute between the City of Cape Town and the national government over policing responsibilities. For years, the DA-led city has argued that well-resourced metropolitan municipalities should receive greater policing powers, particularly investigative authority, to help combat violent crime.
Currently, criminal investigations remain the responsibility of SAPS, while Metro Police primarily focus on traffic enforcement, by-law policing and crime prevention. Hill-Lewis said repeated requests for expanded powers have failed to produce meaningful action, accusing successive national police ministers of making promises that were never fulfilled.
He warned that the city is prepared to challenge the matter through the courts if necessary, saying Cape Town cannot continue waiting while detective vacancies remain unfilled.
While the City has significantly expanded its Metro Police and Law Enforcement ranks in recent years, many residents argue that arrests alone are not enough if criminal cases fail to result in successful prosecutions.
Hill-Lewis framed the proposed detective unit as the answer to making arrests and securing convictions, positioning it as part of a broader effort to strengthen public safety. Whether the proposal can be implemented without changes to national policing legislation is likely to become one of the major legal and political questions ahead of the upcoming local government elections.
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Picture: @JacaNewswatch / X
