Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has run the proposal for devolution of powers to the province by new Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu.
In a council sitting on Thursday morning, he said some of the City’s top agenda items include: powers for municipal police to investigate crime; devolve passenger rail to the City; release national mega-properties for affordable housing; increase social housing subsidies and stop grant cuts and cut red tape to unleash economic growth.
On policing, Hill-Lewis said the City is calling for the devolution of criminal investigative powers so that officers can help build prosecution-ready case dockets, and gain convictions particularly for gang, gun, drug and extortion-related crime.
He said this can be achieved by a “simple, but impactful amendment to the SAPS Act. Under section 64E(c), which specifies the powers of municipal police, the Act should simply state ‘prevention and investigation of crime’, instead of just ‘prevention of crime’.
“Two simple words that will make all the difference for Capetonians, and residents of all cities where competent municipal officers could be doing much more to help SAPS and prosecutors.”
He said he sent a detailed memorandum to the national ministers setting out what Cape Town wants from them.
“One responded and asked about the 11-page memo. We want to set up these things that Cape Town has been asking for years and now we’ve got this opening to ask some more of what we need to make Cape Town thrive.
“One of those memos I sent to the new police. Our only purpose is try and help win the war on crime, we need to pull resources, we need to have some of that additional enforcement powers for our officers so that we can do more.”
Hill-Lewis said he got an immediate response from Minister Mchunu and they met on Wednesday night.
“ The meeting was positive and productive. He said he felt positive about the legislative amendment. I’m very hopeful about that,” he said.
Minister Mchunu confirmed that he had a meeting with the Province and City about policing.
Asked about the devolution of powers Mchunu, said: “The main focus is dealing with murder, kidnapping, extortion, rape, hijackings and housebreaking. We will continue to engage with the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government.”
Hill-Lewis also said he spoke to Mchunu about the urgency of tackling extortion and the construction mafia in Cape Town.
“I really believe that this needs a cabinet level intervention and national task force,” he said.
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson said he will meet with the Mayor over the construction mafia.