Cape Town- The three spheres of government have committed to working together in combating crime in the Western Cape.
This was the outcome of an engagement with the province’s crime fighters, neighbourhood watched and community police forums alongside Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and National Commissioner Fanie Masemola
The plan to work as a collective with the City and province was laid out as the memorandum of understanding (MOU) and is expected to be signed on Friday. But it is noteworthy that this is not an agreement to the devolution of powers to the province.
Masemola said they plan to maximise the use of the resources.
“All different structures must come together. We will focus on a proactive policing approach – joint visibility.
“Policing requires both quality and quantity. Technology will help us with smart policing. We are pleading with the City to ensure that all cameras are in working condition.”
Masemola explained that the policing precinct would be divided into six sub districts in the Cape Town region.
These will be Khayelitsha, Tygerberg, Cape Town, Nyanga, Mitchells Plain and Wynberg. Each will consist of 8 to 15 police stations.
Mchunu said they agreed to work with the province and the City because of ubuntu.
“We wrote to the mayor (of Cape Town) and we had a warm constructive and progressive discussion. The agreement, I took it as an agreement of ubuntu, we talked about the real situation facing us. Now it’s time to implement it on the ground and to respond to what people have said.”
Mchunu said he would also work with other departments such as the Department of Correctional Services and National Prosecuting Authority.
The City’s Safety and Security mayco member, JP Smith, said: “It is a joyous day to be assembled here in this building – this building was part of an important turning point in our country and the start of a new democratic era in its history, with Nelson Mandela addressing from the steps in front where his statue stands today.
“This is a long-awaited day. When we started working on the Safer Cities Agreement some 2-3 years ago, the climate was perhaps not ready for formal agreements. The (Government of National Unity) GNU set the stage for a different period in co-operation and collaboration.
“The agreement being presented is a road map to a better and safer future. Every quarter when the crime stats come out I am filled with sadness but also anger for the tragedies that are concealed by something as innocuous as columns of figures. Behind those grim stats lie broken lives, tears, trauma and misery, along with loss of opportunities and freedom.”
Smith said that great opportunities exist for the City to integrate communications systems like the radio networks and give the police access to their computer-aided dispatch, so that their management have the latest modern tools to drive and ensure accountability, which is only possible with proper modernisation.
“Good work and collaboration has already started to be done on economic crimes and the plague of extortion syndicates. Much more can and must still be achieved to stop these syndicates. The implementation agreement along with the terms of reference for committees which shall include a dispute resolution procedure is a way.
“The City is committed to making this agreement with the Western Cape Government and SAPS work. Let’s move swiftly to completing the Implementation Agreement and Terms of Reference.”
Cape Argus