DA'S POLICE POWERPLAY COPS FLAK

The DA’s repeated call for the devolution of policing powers is facing sharp scrutiny, with one political analyst labelling it a copout.

The Western Cape’s governing party wants the State to empower their law enforcement agencies like Metro police and LEAP with the authority to take over more policing functions to help the South African Police Service fight crime innie Kaap.  

After joining the Special Operations team of the City of Cape Town’s metro police in Manenberg for a ride-along, Portfolio Committee on Police chairperson, DA MP Ian Cameron says the team is ready to take the fight against crime to a whole new level. 

In a social media post, he says: “I am a firm believer that they should have more policing powers. Why wouldn’t we allow this brilliant group of people to be able to do more? Just imagine if we could do something like ballistic testing and gang violence investigation, decentralised? The impact for communities that suffer under the scourge of violence would be significant.

He called on Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu to amend the SAPS Act, so local authorities could build dockets to bring to court, adding: "The Police Minister has the power to change this immediately."

However, political analyst Sanusha Naidu reckons there is no real evidence that policing will be any better under provincial control. 

Naidu says: “When you think about the optics and narrative when you live in the City of Cape Town, you can see the contradictions of that narrative… It is a complete copout to say that you can’t address the issue because we don’t have the powers to do so. It is easy."