Mayor of Cape Town Geordin Hill-Lewis is calling for public support in his plight to have a fully-fledged municipal police service in Cape Town.
Last week, he started a petition calling on the national police minister Bheki Cele to grant the City more policing power in Cape Town.
As mayor, he recently wrote to Cele, requesting additional powers under Section 99 of the Constitution, for the City to have a fully-fledged police service.
“This will allow our officers to investigate crime and ensure criminals are put behind bars.
“We need your support to show the national government how much these policing powers are needed in our city,” he said in a statement to the media last week.
Minister Cele has previously said that he cannot devolve power in the absence of a constitutional amendment.
However, according to Hill-Lewis section 99 provides that “a Cabinet member may assign any power or function . . . to a municipal council”.
“In this City, we have taken the decision that we will not be held hostage by the failings of national Police Minister Bheki Cele.”
This financial year, the City is implementing a record R5,4 billion safety budget, with 230 additional officers being employed in this cycle, and significant investments into crime-fighting tech.
In the last week, 100 more law enforcement officers were deployed to the Cape Town CBD.
“The City is doing everything within its limited resources and ability to make our City safer for all residents.
“But, there is so much more we can do with greater police powers granted by minister Cele. We need your support to show that the residents of Cape Town want local government to have a greater ability to keep you safe,” he said.
The first quarter crime statistics show that while at a national level murder rates continue to climb, this crime category is seeing a steady decrease in communities like Kraaifontein where 1 100 Law Enforcement Advancement Plan officers (LEAP) were deployed in recent years.
“This is encouraging evidence that the concept of more policing powers, at a provincial and local level, is working. But we need your voice to show that the residents of Cape Town want local government to have a greater ability to keep you safe.
- To sign the petition go to https://bit.ly/MorePolicingPower
