The Western Cape government has declared a formal dispute with Police Minister Bheki Cele over police resources.
“In my capacity as Western Cape MEC of community safety, and as authorised by the Western Cape cabinet, I have written to the national Minister of Police Bheki Cele to notify him that the Western Cape government is declaring a formal intergovernmental dispute with the police minister,” Alan Winde said yesterday.
It was now six months since the Western Cape government first wrote to Cele with a list of urgent policing needs and priorities for the province, which Cele had ignored.
Cele was obliged by the Constitution to consult and take account of the specific needs of the province when determining policy.
By ignoring these needs and priorities, Cele was violating the Constitution.
“Our province urgently needs more police officers. Western Cape police is dramatically under-resourced compared to other provinces,” said Winde.
“While one officer must protect 375 people on average nationally, in the Western Cape, the ratio is 1:509.
“The Western Cape needs urgent additional personnel to enable the Western Cape provincial [police] commissioner to take steps to address gang violence and the appalling murder rate, as well as to protect learners and schools, public transport and state infrastructure such as ambulances.”
He said Cele was now obliged by section 41 of the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act to meet urgently with provincial government to address failures.
ANA