Cape Town has significantly bolstered its safety and security presence for the festive season, with more than 200 newly trained cadets deployed to some of the city’s busiest and most high-risk areas.

On Thursday, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, joined cadets from the Safety and Security Directorate’s Project 300 learnership programme, who have been deployed to Table Mountain, the Cape Town CBD, Bo-Kaap and key beaches for the peak holiday period.

The cadets have completed their municipal peace officer training, equipping them with powers related to traffic control, by-law enforcement and crime prevention. Their deployment is aimed at increasing visible policing, deterring crime and improving safety for both residents and visitors during one of the city’s busiest times of the year.

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Project 300 builds on the momentum of the City’s Project 1000 initiative, which saw close to 900 new Metro Police and Law Enforcement officers join the Safety and Security directorate.

“2025 has been an exceptional year in terms of growth. Not since LEAP have we seen this level of investment in our staffing complement,” said Smith.

“Along with the Neighbourhood Safety Officers, Law Enforcement’s bolstered escort unit and additional N2 resources, we have also been able to promote many long-serving and deserving Metro Police members.”

Smith said the festive deployment would not only boost visibility but also provide valuable on-the-ground experience for the cadets.

“Apart from increasing visible policing this festive season, the cadets will also gain valuable experience walking the beat. These initiatives are only possible because of our incredible Metro Police College,” he said.

The deployment comes against the backdrop of persistent petty crime in the Cape Town Central Police precinct, including pickpocketing, car break-ins and robberies. Although the latest crime statistics are considered outdated, the City states that such crimes continue to pose a significant risk to tourism and the local economy.

“These attacks have severe consequences for the tourism industry that fuels our local economy, and the additional boots on the ground have already been welcomed by external partners within the CBD.”

He stressed the economic importance of safeguarding major attractions.

“Table Mountain and our amazing beaches generate billions in economic stimulus and create crucial employment for thousands of our residents. We must safeguard these assets to ensure our city remains an attractive destination for visitors, both locally and internationally.”

Smith added that Cape Town’s global profile means even isolated incidents can have far-reaching consequences.

“We are acutely aware that Cape Town is under the microscope at all times, and that any incident can attract national and even international media coverage. Too many people rely on this sector to feed and clothe their families.”

However, the City emphasised that its festive safety plan is not only tourism-focused.

Enforcement services will continue daily patrols in gang-affected communities, including Kleinvlei, Grassy Park, Steenberg, Elsies River, Delft, Nyanga, Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain.

Nearly 700 Metro Police Neighbourhood Safety Officers will also remain active in their respective wards throughout the festive season, alongside continued operations by the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers.

The City says the combined deployments are aimed at ensuring a safer festive season for all Capetonians, while protecting key economic and social hubs across the metro.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has rejected accusations by the US State Department that South Africa detained, intimidated and “doxed” US officials during a raid on a facility in Johannesburg that processes applications of Afrikaners who want to become “refugees” in the United States.

It comes after the United States warned of ‘severe consequences’ over the raid, demanding that South Africa hold its officials to account.

In a statement overnight, the Department maintains the recent deportation of seven Kenyan nationals by the Department of Home Affairs was conducted in strict accordance with South African immigration law. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has denied that any US officials were arrested.

“These individuals were engaged in work without the necessary work permits. The government will not negotiate its sovereignty and the implementation of the rule of law.”

Department spokesperson Chrispin Phiri says the allegations regarding the alleged release of private passport information of US officials online (so-called “doxxing”) are unsubstantiated.

“South Africa treats all matters of data security with the utmost seriousness and operates under stringent legal and diplomatic protocols. We categorically reject any suggestion of state involvement in such actions.”

Phiri says official channels have been opened with the United States Government to seek clarity on this allegation and to “reinforce that our bilateral engagements must be grounded in mutual respect and factual dialogue.”

Meanwhile, the ANC has blasted Afriforum and its leader Kallie Kriel for “inciting fear through manufactured disinformation.”

Kriel and others have amplified the US allegations online, even amidst official government denials.

The ANC says Kriel’s actions are “reckless, racist” and a deliberate campaign to undermine South Africa’s sovereignty.

“This conduct is no longer fringe rhetoric; it is a calculated political project aimed at destabilising our democracy and fracturing social cohesion. The lawful intervention by the Department of Home Affairs against unauthorised foreign nationals operating illegally in South Africa has been cynically distorted by AfriForum into a false narrative of racial persecution. This is not a misunderstanding of facts but an intentional attempt to poison public discourse, incite racial hysteria, and portray South Africa as a hostile state to external right-wing networks. Such behaviour is unpatriotic and dangerous.”

A German national has died during a hike on Lion’s Head.

SANParks noted that the man, whose identity has not been made known, slipped from one of the trails on Thursday morning.

According to SANParks, emergency services were alerted shortly after the fall and a coordinated rescue and recovery operation was immediately launched. The hiker had, however, died on the scene.

“Despite the efforts of all involved, the hiker was sadly declared deceased at the scene,” read the agency’s statement on social media.

SANParks noted the case has been handed over to the police for further investigation.

Western Cape police spokesperson, Wesley Twigg, confirmed that Cape Town Central Police registered an inquest, confirming the victim to be a German national.

“The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation. A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” said Twigg.

The agency extended condolences to the hiker’s family and friends and thanked multiple agencies, including Wilderness Search and Rescue, emergency medical services and volunteers, for their assistance.

SANParks added that it would not release further information about the deceased out of respect for the family.

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The US Department of State has released a statement condemning in the “strongest terms” the Department of Home Affairs’ recent operation against a facility in Johannesburg, which processes Afrikaners who want to become “refugees” in America.

The State Department maintains that US officials were “detained” during the raid, even amid Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber’s denials on the matter.

The US State Department also alleges that the South African government publicly released the passport information of its officials, calling it an “unacceptable form of harassment” and “doxing.”

There is currently no evidence that any South African government official released passport information, while unverified social media accounts seem to have published passport information of a person purporting to be a US official, born in Burkina Faso.

The statement goes further to accuse South Africa of intimidating “US government personnel in South Africa on official business.”

“The United States will not tolerate such behaviour toward its government’s officials – or toward any of its citizens – who are legally and peacefully operating abroad. The public release of personal identifying information puts the official in harm’s way.”

The State Department says that should the South African Government not “hold those responsible accountable”, it will result in severe consequences.

“We call on the Government of South Africa to take immediate action to bring this situation under control and hold those responsible accountable.”

Schreiber on Wednesday released a statement rubbishing the reports on the raid, revealing that seven Kenyan nationals, who were working in South Africa illegally, were arrested at the refugee processing facility. 

The processing of applications by Afrikaners is reportedly being done by RSC Africa, a Kenyan-based refugee support centre operated by Church World Service (CWS).

Schreiber denied that any US officials were detained, while the facility in question is also not a formal diplomatic site. Shreiber also denies that any prospective “refugees” were harassed, despite some reports quoting one unnamed woman.