Premier & Minister praise professionalism & partnerships of WC law enforcement

Joint Media Release: Premier & Minister Allen praise professionalism & partnerships of Western Cape law enforcement bodies

This week Premier Alan Winde and Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Reagen Allen accompanied municipal and South African Police Service (SAPS) officers on various operations in Cape Town and Malmesbury to highlight the critically important work that law enforcement agencies do in making the Western Cape and its citizens safer.

In Bloekombos, the Premier and Minister Allen observed the execution of a warrant of arrest. "I need to see firsthand how municipal and SAPS law enforcement work together to offer a capable and professional service. It was encouraging to observe this ongoing partnership being carried out seamlessly, with all stakeholders working towards a common goal – making our communities safer. Intelligence and data-driven operations cannot work optimally in isolation. It is only by joining forces and pooling our resources - which are constrained due to national government not deploying enough SAPS members to our province - that we will be able to break the back of crime, " the Premier said.

Minister Allen added, "It was encouraging to receive feedback from residents that they do see our Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers regularly on patrol. This is part of what the Western Cape Safety Plan dictates, which is visible policing in the areas where it is needed most. We will continue to utilise our data and evidence so that our officers are optimally deployed to effectively combat crime."

Premier Winde and the Minister also joined members of the Geneva Court Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) on a walkabout in Scottsdene where they engaged with community members. The message from both NHW patrollers and residents was clear: further empower community-based safety structures to be able to assist municipal law enforcement and SAPS in addressing crime. These courageous women and men are among the 14 632 patrollers who are part of more than 470 NHW groups across the province.

The Premier stressed that NHWs and the like are the eyes and ears in communities who help feed information to law enforcement agencies.

The Minister noted; "NHWs are true heroes and as the WCG we value them highly. Their commitment and desire to ensure safety is improved in their areas speaks volumes to their service to their communities. With continued collaboration between NHWs, Community Police Forums, SAPS and Law Enforcement we would undoubtedly be able to achieve greater successes across the province."

In Malmesbury, the Premier and Minister observed raids at two homes, identified as drug dens, involving the Swartland K-9 and Rural Safety units, along with SAPS members:

- Two arrests were actioned, while one person was taken in for questioning;

- Mandrax and tik were seized;

- An unlicenced firearm was confiscated, and

- Cash was taken in as evidence.

K-9 and Rural Safety Units are an important component of the Western Cape Safety Plan, a holistic approach that lays out a comprehensive strategy for tackling crime.

Premier Winde stated, "Every arrest, every drug bust should serve as a warning to criminals that their time is up. Law-abiding citizens in our province have had enough of them destroying our communities. The Western Cape Government will not rest until crime is brought down and all communities can become prosperous hubs of hope, characterised by economic opportunities. We will never stop investing in our safety efforts, with a specific focus on maintaining a high standard of professionalism among our officers.”