DA calls for sustainable policing reform amid escalating mass shootings

25 October 2024

I am deeply appalled by the senseless killings that have gripped our communities in Athlone, Bishop Lavis, and Mamre over the last two days, leaving seventeen people dead in a disturbing wave of violence.

These incidents are an indictment of our failing crime intelligence systems, and the South African Police Service (SAPS) response of merely deploying additional forces will not suffice.

It is not sustainable, nor does it address the root of the crisis. Until SAPS crime intelligence functions at full capacity, we will continue to see this tragic loss of life on our streets.

The DA firmly believes that sustainable solutions lie in sharing policing functions between national, provincial, and local authorities to ease pressure on both our policing resources and the national budget. A national police force alone cannot meet the scale and specificity of the challenges we face.

Sharing policing functions would allow SAPS to allocate its resources more efficiently, focusing on national concerns, while capable metros and provinces, such as the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government, manage local issues, especially those tied to gang violence and firearm tracking.

This approach would empower well-equipped local authorities to deliver region-specific policing solutions, improving response times in critical investigations and addressing endemic issues like gang violence in our communities. For instance, allowing metro police to conduct ballistic tests and other forensic services would expedite case processing, reduce delays, and alleviate the budget strain on SAPS.

The DA calls on the Minister of Police and the Western Cape MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety to urgently strengthen this cooperative policing model. We must work toward a robust, intelligence-led policing framework that preserves the safety of all South Africans without putting additional strain on our national budget.

Issued by Ian Cameron, DA Spokesperson on Police, 25 October 2024