The City of Cape Town has responded strongly to the national government’s suggestion to restrict the enforcement powers of the City’s services.
Also read: Western Cape police grapple with outdated radio system amid rising crime
According to the City, the Municipal Policing Service has been ‘under threat’ for several years, starting with the 2016 White Paper on Policing, which proposed that the service be put under the control of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The latest proposal by the national government aims to limit the City’s enforcement services’ powers again to the by-law and traffic enforcement only, which means that these services will not play a part in crime prevention.
‘Metro Police Services (MPS) are well placed at the municipal level to proactively address crimes through the rigorous enforcement of their other two mandates – traffic enforcement and by-law enforcement. By ensuring that traffic laws and by-laws are observed, MPS will contribute to instilling a culture of lawfulness. The MPS can effectively contribute to visible policing and are in a position to observe violations of by-laws and less serious crimes.’
Explore Cape Town and its surroundings with these incredible deals on cars for under R100 000. Find car listings here.
As per a recent statement, the City announced its opposition to the proposal, stating that it would have a ‘dire impact on the many communities who rely on Metro Police to increasingly fill the gaps left by an ailing South African Police Service.’
The City added that it will take the matter to the Constitutional Court should the national government proceed.
Alderman JP Smith, the Mayco member for Safety and Security, says it ‘boggles the mind why the national government would want to fix something that is not broken, instead of focusing on the complete overhaul that is required in SAPS and the criminal justice system’.
‘The proposal flies in the face of what’s needed on the ground, and in fact, the City reiterates its call for greater decentralisation of policing functions.
Instead of trying to take the limited policing powers away from local government, the national government should be expanding the powers of Metro Police and Law Enforcement, or simply devolving the control of SAPS to local and provincial government altogether.’
During the 2022/23 financial year, the City’s officers made 5 662 arrests and confiscated nearly 35 000 units of drugs, 74 firearms, and more than 1 000 rounds of ammunition, excluding the number of arrests made by City Law Enforcement and Traffic Services, which comprises 700 firearm-related arrests over the last two years.
Cape {town} Etc discount: Looking for things to do in the city at half the price? Let these great offers inspire you. Get them here.
Also read:
More cases struck off Western Cape court rolls due to police inefficiencies
Picture: JP Smith / Facebook