The Western Cape Provincial Parliament (WCPP) has resolved to establish an ad hoc committee tasked with investigating the causes and impact of violent crime in the province.
The provincial branch of the ANC said it raised the proposal with the intention of establishing the causes, drivers and patterns of persistent killings and violent crime plaguing many parts of the Cape.
The ANC Western Cape Provincial Legislature Caucus Chief Whip, Ayanda Bans, said that, outside of this, the committee would also determine whether the current interventions aimed at tackling violent crime have been effective.
“The Western Cape Government has invested billions of Rands in a so-called Western Cape Safety Plan, yet murders continue to worsen. National government has also deployed the SANDF to assist in dealing with violent crime, but killings are still escalating. The fundamental question is then: what is going wrong?” questioned Bans.
Now, with the Committee set to be established, Bans noted that the next step is to appoint the 10 members from each party in the provincial legislature who will lead the committee. Once appointed, its terms of reference will be finalised before work gets underway.
The committee will have six months to investigate the matter and report its findings to the House.
“Its findings and recommendations will then formally be considered by the legislature, with the aim of strengthening accountability, improving coordination between the relevant institutions and ensuring concrete measures are taken to better protect our communities,” said Bans.
The establishment of the committee is also supported by the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus), which also welcomed the WCPP’s decision.
“Although the motion establishing the committee does not explicitly refer to the devolution of policing powers, the Freedom Front Plus regards it as a step in the right direction. The committee’s findings could provide valuable information on where the current system is failing and what additional powers, resources and functions the Western Cape needs to combat violent crime more effectively,” read the Freedom Front Plus statement.
