Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has criticised South Africa’s criminal justice system, calling for tougher bail conditions and greater investigative powers for metro police after an alleged drug dealer arrested in Mitchells Plain was released on bail and later appeared in court again.
In a video shared on his social media pages, Hill-Lewis said he attended the Mitchells Plain Magistrates’ Court on Monday 13 July and found that the same suspect arrested by Cape Town metro police in April was “back out on the streets”.
“This is how the criminal justice system is failing South Africans,” Hill-Lewis said. “Communities live in fear of gang violence and drug crimes, while criminals roam free.”
Arrest followed metro police patrol
Hill-Lewis said he was accompanying Cape Town metro police officers during a patrol in Woodlands, Mitchells Plain, in April when officers arrested a suspected drug dealer.
He said he had concerns that the suspect would quickly be released and followed the progress of the case.
“Indeed, just a couple of days later, that drug dealer was released on R3 000 bail, even though he had prior arrests and convictions for violent crimes,” he said.
Hill-Lewis said the suspect was placed back into the community despite what he described as a violent history.
Calls for stronger metro police powers
According to Hill-Lewis, the suspect appeared in court again on Monday, where his bail was extended and the matter was postponed until August.
“That means that a potentially violent person with a violent past is back out on the street,” he said.
Hill-Lewis argued that metro police services should be given greater powers to investigate crimes, saying this could help ensure violent offenders are held accountable.
“If Cape Town metro police and other competent metro police forces around the country have the power to investigate these crimes themselves, violent criminals like this will be behind bars instead of now walking out of this court this morning back onto the streets,” he said.
Push for criminal justice reform
Hill-Lewis, who is also the Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, said South Africa needs urgent reforms to address what he described as a “catch and release” cycle.
He called for stricter bail conditions for violent drug offenders and changes that would allow law enforcement agencies to better protect communities.
“The criminal justice system must protect you, not criminals,” he said.
