Taking LEAP’s successes local

Media Release: Taking LEAP’s successes local

Today, Premier Alan Winde visited the Kraaifontein area where he viewed several murals that have been rolled out to highlight the work of the Western Cape Government’s (WCG) Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP), which is run in partnership with the City of Cape Town.

“The primary aim of the murals is to raise awareness around the important work our dedicated LEAP members do in making our communities safer,” he said. The murals are dotted across LEAP deployment areas and show how many arrests have been made in that locality. In total, more than 27 000 arrests have been made so far, since LEAP was launched in 2020. In Kraaifontein, 3895 suspected criminals – and counting – have been detained since 2020. The last set of South Africa Police Service (SAPS) crime statistics shows that the Kraaifontein area saw a decrease in murders in the 3rd quarter of 2023/24.

During the visit, Premier Winde interacted with LEAP members. Officer Lindelani Maxham told the Premier the area needs a CCTV system and ShotSpotter to enhance the work he and his fellow members do for the community. Officer Maxham added LEAP members enjoy a good working relationship with their SAPS’ counterparts in the area. But he pointed out that they require feedback from the likes of the National Prosecuting Authority on how cases in which they have made arrests are progressing in the criminal justice system. “This is why we want management of policing in the province,” explained the Premier, adding, “to have not just an oversight role but to further bolster our our crime-fighting efforts by properly resourcing law enforcement bodies.”

LEAP officers are currently deployed in thirteen areas, of which 10 areas form part of the top 10 murder areas in the Western Cape. These include areas such as Delft, Gugulethu, Harare, Khayelitsha (Site B policing precinct), Kraaifontein, Mfuleni, Mitchells Plain, Nyanga, Philippi East, and Samora Machel. The other high crime areas where they are deployed to, are Atlantis, Bishop Lavis, and Hanover Park, and recently Lavender Hill, Steenberg and Grassy Park. These placements are strategic and backed by data and evidence.  

The Western Cape Safety Plan, which informs LEAP, emphasises the ongoing need for a data-centric and evidence-led approach to policing. This also involves embracing technology, such as drones and cameras.

The table below indicates the number of arrests made so far in LEAP priority areas: