Police Oversight and Community Safety
With regard to the cooperation agreement signed by the national Minister of Police, the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town on 30 August 2024:
- (a) What are the key deliverables of the agreement and (b) how will the agreement integrate with the Western Cape Safety Plan;
- whether the agreement resolves the Western Cape Government’s demand for the devolution of police powers either to the Province or to the City; if not, why not; if so, how;
- (a) what specific measures will be implemented by all parties to the agreement that will seek to reduce the prevalence of violent crime in the City of Cape Town and (b) why is this cooperation agreement necessary if the Western Cape Safety Plan is achieving its objectives;
- whether the Western Cape Safety Plan has achieved its objectives; if not; why is it not discontinued;
- (a) what is the total amount transferred to municipalities for the implementation of the Western Cape Safety Plan, in particular to (i) the City of Cape Town and (ii) any other local or district municipality and (b) what was this funding used for?
2. (1) (a) The Implementation Plan setting out the key deliverables to the Cooperation Agreement is in the process of development.
(b) The vision of the Western Cape Safety Plan of 2019 is to ensure that the
Western Cape is a place where all people feel secure and live free from
fear. The Cooperation Agreement seeks to enhance the commitment and relationships between national, provincial and local government to work towards safety and security in the City of Cape Town. This entails the development of plans, programmes and initiatives to achieve this. The Implementation plan will build on the Safety Plan.
(2) The Cooperation Agreement does not specify the devolution of policing to
the Province.
(3) (a) The Implementation Plan will outline the specific roles and responsibilities of the parties to the Agreement.
(b) The Cooperation Agreement is necessary as it commits all the parties,
including the Civilian Secretariat of Police, the South African Police Service, the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government to work together to achieve the shared objectives. The Western Cape Safety Plan is a strategy that was developed by and for the Western Cape Government.
(4) The Western Cape Safety Plan had set itself a bold vision to reduce murders in the province by 50% in the year 2029. The plan aims to achieve this, amongst others, by increasing its law enforcement capacity and addressing the root causes of crime and violence through data, evidence and technology.
In terms of law enforcement, the province continues to strive towards strengthening data-driven implementation and collaborative partnerships between the different levels of government and external stakeholders, which is apparent in the most recent signing of the policing Memorandum of Understanding between the Western Cape Government, National Government and the City of Cape Town on 30 August 2024. Emphasis continues to be placed on the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of law enforcement efforts that aspire to address what is evidently an agile, ever-changing criminal ecosystem.
The effectiveness of law enforcement in addressing crime and violence in the province is however contingent on several factors that remain outside of its control. Some of those factors include the unpredictable nature of murder and serious violent crimes in the province, for example, unpoliceable spaces such as the informal settlements in the murder hotspots, ongoing population growth and the unaddressed lack of resources, that is hindering the effectiveness of law enforcement services.
Overall, addressing the issue of crime and violence in the province is a complex social issue that requires long-term commitment. Also, it cannot only be addressed through the employment of law enforcement. This is why the province continues to commit itself in its efforts to integrate law enforcement, violence prevention and urban upgrading to address the safety challenges holistically.
(5) (a) (i) The Department has allocated R 360 million for the LEAP 2024/2025
financial year implementation to the City of Cape Town in terms of the Western Cape Safety Plan.
(ii) The Department has allocated funds to three municipalities to the amount of R21 251 000 as outlined in table 1 below to support the establishment and maintenance of LEAP services in rural municipalities.
Table 1: Funding to three (3) municipalities | ||||
No | Municipalities | LEAP K9 Rural funding | LEAP Rural Reaction | Total |
1. | Overstrand | R3 772 000 | R4 223 000 | R7 995 000 |
2. | Swartland | R3 772 000 | R5 712 000 | R9 484 000 |
3. | Mosselbay | R3 772 000 |
| R3 772 000 |
| Total | 11 316 000 | R9 935 000 | R21 251 000 |
Additionally, the department has allocated funding to the five (5) district municipalities to the amount of R4 581 000 to support the implementation of District Safety Plan, as outlined in table 2 below.
Table 2: Funding to five (5) district municipalities | ||
No | District Municipalities | Funding Amount |
1. | Cape Winelands | R1 000 000 |
2. | Central Karoo | R 581 000 |
3. | Garden Route | R1 000 000 |
4. | Overberg | R1 000 000 |
5. | West Coast | R1 000 000 |
| Total | R4 581 000 |
- (i) In terms of the R 360 million, the LEAP 2024/2025 funding is allocated for the continuation of the LEAP programme so that LEAP officers are deployed in the priority metro areas in the City of Cape Town.
(ii) In terms of the R21 251 000 allocated to LEAP rural areas, the funding is allocated for the implementation of K9 units and Rural Reaction team LEAP officers. The district municipality funding of R4 581 000 was allocated for the implementation of each district’s respective safety plan.
