Cape Town Mayor Engages Ministers for Greater Control Over Policing and Tackling Crime

In a bold move to combat crime more effectively within the Western Cape, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has reached out to the new Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, to discuss the devolution of policing powers to the provincial level. The conversation topics were not limited to policing but extended to other pressing issues affecting the city, such as passenger rail management, the release of government land for affordable housing, and a plea for increased social housing subsidies.

During a council meeting held on Thursday morning, Hill-Lewis outlined the aspirations of the Government of National Unity (GNU), where the city’s top advocacy agenda items were pinpointed. The mayor emphasized the city’s drive towards enabling municipal police to conduct criminal investigations and lead to robust prosecutions - particularly in relation to crimes associated with gangs, guns, drugs, and extortion.

“Our only purpose is to try and help win the war on crime," Hill-Lewis stated. By implementing devolution, the mayor believes additional enforcement powers would significantly augment the city's capabilities to curb crime.

The mayor's advocacy caught the attention of Minister Mchunu, who responded promptly, meeting with both provincial and city officials to discuss the rampant crime rate in Cape Town, specifically the horrors of murder, kidnapping, extortion, rape, hijackings, and housebreaking. Mchunu confirmed continued engagement with the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape government on these critical issues.

Further to these concerns, Hill-Lewis stressed the urgency of combating the extortion and construction mafias plaguing the cityscape - a sentiment that has prompted Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson to engage in discussion with the mayor. Macpherson, reflecting on informal interactions, expresses a readiness to formally meet with Hill-Lewis to address mutual concerns, including the shared obstacle of the construction mafia.

Mayor Hill-Lewis remains hopeful that his discussions with Minister Mchunu will yield positive legislative amendments, allowing the city a stronger hand in maintaining public safety and order. This proactive stance by Hill-Lewis and his administration underscores the determination to reclaim the streets of Cape Town from the clutches of crime, and it is clear that bridging cooperation between different levels of government is seen as crucial to achieving this end.