Concerns over policing capacity and rising crime in Parklands have intensified following a recent visit by Nicholas Gotsell, DA Constituency Head for Atlantis, Blaauwberg, Table View and Dunoon, to ongoing law enforcement operations in the area, where he raised questions about police visibility and resource constraints.
Gotsell joined the City of Cape Town’s Gang and Drug Task Team during recent raids in Parklands, where he observed active drug-busting operations supported by municipal enforcement resources.
Speaking after the visit, he said the situation highlighted the pressure placed on police in a rapidly expanding community.
“So we’re out in Parklands this evening, where the City of Cape Town’s Gang and Drug Task Team is doing some raids,” Gotsell said. “We’ve seen that since the closure of the Parklands Satellite Station, police have not been able to keep up their visibility in an exponentially growing population.”
He pointed to the use of City resources such as drones and canine units as evidence of intensified municipal enforcement efforts in contrast to what he described as limited police capacity.
“It’s very interesting to see tonight how the City of Cape Town is using its budget to invest in resources like drones and canines, and they’re the ones out here doing the drug busts and looking for the gangsters,” he said.
Calls grow over closed satellite station
The comments come amid renewed calls for the reopening of the Parklands Satellite Police Station, which residents and community leaders say is critical to improving safety and response times in the area.
The station’s closure has been widely blamed for reduced police visibility in one of Cape Town’s fastest-growing suburbs, with concerns that police resources have not kept pace with population growth.
Gotsell said the explanation that the station remains closed due to resource constraints was not acceptable.
“They’re telling us that they don’t have the resources to reopen the satellite station, and that is something that needs to change,” he said. “The police needs to find its priorities, because this is how priorities work. This is how we deal with a drug and gang problem.”
Community concerns over rising crime
Residents have reported increased concerns over robberies, burglaries, drug-related activity and violent crime, with particular alarm following a recent shooting in the area.
Community members say the lack of visible policing has contributed to a growing sense of insecurity, with some areas allegedly experiencing open drug dealing during daylight hours.
A petition has now been launched to put pressure on the provincial police commissioner to reopen the station, with support from residents, neighbourhood watches and community policing forums.
Gotsell’s visit has added momentum to the campaign, with calls for a stronger and more visible policing presence in Parklands.
Supporters of the petition argue that a local station would improve response times and act as a deterrent to criminal activity in the area.
As pressure builds, community leaders say the focus now shifts to authorities to respond to growing demands for improved safety and policing infrastructure in the rapidly expanding suburb.
Visit https://petitions.da.org.za/p/reopen-saps-satellite-station to sign the petition
ALSO READ: Petition launched to reopen Parklands Satellite Police Station
