Police will be deploying 300 more cops in the Western Cape in an effort to reduce serious and violent crimes as provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile, on Thursday painted a bleak picture of crime in the province.
Delving into the third quarter crime statistics which was revealed last week, Patekile said one of their focus areas is Gugulethu, where year on year, they saw an increase of 23 murders, with 73 people killed between October and December 2023.
Manenberg had 35 murders, up from 23 in the period October to December 2022.
Delft, which was the murder capital in the previous quarter, saw a decrease of 18 murders, where 68 people were killed, compared to 86 cases in 2022.
Sexual offences have decreased by 4.9% and robbery with aggravating circumstances increased by 14.3%.
Patekile says: “As we outline the third quarter crime statistics for the province, with heavy hearts we acknowledge, it is not a picture we strived towards.
“Serious violent crimes including murders and attempted murders recorded during the period under review, despite relentless effort are proving difficult to reduce, hence six of our police stations feature in the category of top 10 murder stations in the country.”
He said most commonly, violent crimes emanate from arguments, gang violence, robberies, extortion, domestic violence and liquor abuse, while the weapon of choice remains firearms.
Patekile said as an immediate intervention, Operation Lockdown 3, will hit Cape Town “within this week”.
He says: “The contingent comprising just over 100 members will conduct operations, raids, search and seizure operations and other operational activities in a bid to quell violent crime in this province.
“Coupled with that, are 200 Operation Shanela forces, under the command of Brigadier Luyanda Damoyi, who already are hard at work in efforts to change the picture around.
“Two of the team’s focus areas are Gugulethu and Manenberg. Since the inception of Operation Shanela in May 2023, a total of 4 697 suspects were arrested for an array of crimes throughout the province.”
Patekile added that 54 new members will bolster the Anti-Gang Unit as of Monday.
Premier Alan Winde reiterated that he wanted more of a say in policing.
“I think everybody knows that I would like to have more direct control of policing in our current system.
“It’s got to be about crime prevention. Make sure the resources go into those areas whether it’s about how do we keep learners in school, and social development, social workers.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za