SONA: Cape Town Mayor calls for action on gang crime, passenger rail

6 February 2024  

‘I call on President Ramaphosa to announce decisive measures to deal with the crisis of illegal firearms fuelling gang, gun and drug crime in Cape Town, and around the country.

‘We have seen thousands of guns flow from the police to gangsters via the backdoor over the years, with just one example being the guns recently stolen from Mitchells Plain police station.

‘These are the same guns used to terrorise communities and run the drug trade, killing innocent children caught in gang crossfire. How many more families must mourn the loss of loved ones before decisive action is taken to disrupt the gun and drug trade?

‘The City calls for strong action to deal with the corrupt elements in SAPS who are conspiring with gangs, and for the urgent devolution of more policing powers to municipal law enforcement to help SAPS fight crime,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.

Hill-Lewis said that City policing operations are taking guns off the streets at an increasing rate, with 447 illegal firearm confiscations in the last two financial years, and 35% more firearm-related arrests in 22/23 compared to the previous year. Annual drug arrests have also doubled due to investment in growing City law enforcement resources, from 4 000 arrests in 21/22 to over 8 000 in 22/23, with overall City operations confiscating around 124 000 drug units during that period.

‘Many of the guns our officers take off the streets end up back in the hands of gangsters through corrupt backchannels in SAPS. The criminal justice system is also failing to put criminals behind bars, with single-digit conviction rates for gang crime.

‘Our well-trained municipal law enforcement officers are ready to be an even stronger ally to SAPS. With more policing powers – particularly for criminal investigations – we can build prosecution-ready case dockets on gang, gun and drug crime.

‘The President has the power to announce the conferring of additional peace officer powers for municipal officers, who can be an immediate force multiplier for SAPS in the fight against crime,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.

Urgent devolution of passenger rail

Mayor Hill-Lewis further pointed out that President Ramaphosa had promised the national Rail Devolution Strategy would be out before the end of 2023, with continued silence about the ongoing delay.

‘The City’s ongoing rail feasibility study has found that lower income families in our city would save R932 million a year with working, efficient trains. Functional rail will also sustain over 51 000 jobs and add R11 billion to the local economy each year.

‘Enough with the delays and false promises on devolution Mr President – we await your clear deadline for the national Rail Devolution Strategy and for the handing over of passenger rail in Cape Town. The City is ready to work with national government to fast-track devolution to the benefit of commuters, and our offer of a joint working committee stands,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.

Issued by Media Office, City of Cape Town, 6 February 2024