Cape Town - Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis launched the City’s new Facility Protection Officers (FPO) law enforcement unit today, in time for the release of the latest crime stats.
The Mayor was joined by Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith.
The contingent of 80 law enforcement officers will assist with the safekeeping of City facilities and escorting City departments when engaging in essential maintenance and other service delivery projects.
The FPOs will be assisted by 200 Facility Protection Monitors, employed through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
The monitors were recruited from the areas where they will be utilised, using registered Neighbourhood Watch patrollers and those who had served on the previous Walking Bus programme.
The unit comes at a time when theft and vandalism of infrastructure cost almost R60 million for the 2022/23 financial year to date. Staff and contractors also regularly face extortion threats and demands for protection fees from local syndicates.
The launch of the new unit coincided with the release of the latest crime statistics. Though the national numbers displayed many negativities, the Western Cape experienced a 14.1% year-on-year decrease in murders, and a 27.2% decrease since the release of the last crime statistics.
Premier Winde said: “As the Western Cape Government we are working smarter, using data, evidence, and technology, to help guide and resource our fight against crime. Our hard work is showing some dividends, but we still have a long way to go.”
The province has also seen a 9.9% year-on-year reduction in rape, with only one Western Cape precinct ranking in the national top 10 for reported instances of rape. There was an 11.64% drop off in contact crime between October-December 2022 and January-March 2023.
DA Western Cape spokesperson on Community Safety Gillion Bosman, said these statistics showed more than ever that the provincial Government’s model of policing was working.
“While even a single murder or instance of crime is unacceptable, these figures show that the Western Cape is moving in the right direction, and that we are on track to cut the murder rate in half by 2029. This shows what can be achieved with innovative governance and a citizen-focussed approach to service delivery, and I congratulate all those involved in making this vital progress,” he said.