A decrease in crime in parts of Cape Town has been attributed to the intensified deployment of Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers.

Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, expressed optimism about the latest findings, which comes six months after the Western Cape Government doubled the number of LEAP officers and resources in high-crime areas.

The initiative, launched under the Western Cape Safety Plan with the City of Cape Town, was designed to support national policing efforts.

“In September 2024, the decision was taken to double-up LEAP deployment in areas of Cape Town with the highest murder rates. The aim of this new approach was to saturate problematic areas while also having a Roving Reaction Unit available to respond to other areas experiencing flare-ups in violent crime,” said Marais.

Since then, Marais claims that four out of six LEAP deployment areas recorded decreases in homicides. Gugulethu saw a 30% decline, while Nyanga experienced a 29% drop. However, Marais noted that slight increases were noted in Delft (at 1.9%) and Philippi East (at 9.1%).

Areas in the “Hotspot Policing Project” – Gugulethu, Nyanga, Khayelitsha, and Delft – saw the most progress, except Delft.

“The Hotspot Policing Project is a collaborative effort between the SAPS, the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government, and supported by the Institute for Security Studies and the Hanns Seidel Foundation, which tests evidence-based policing strategies in [the mentioned] precincts,” said Marais.

Marais added that LEAP officers also made significant strides in law enforcement, confiscating more illegal firearms and ammunition. From September 2024 to March 2025, 53 firearm-related arrests were made, up from 29 the previous year. Total arrests more than doubled, rising from 2,339 to 4,931.

She said the LEAP officers act add essential boots on the ground, in light of the “chronic and ongoing understaffing” at police stations. She has called on the National Police Commissioner to urgently address this.

“I request the Minister of Police to facilitate the finalisation of the operational phase of the policing Memorandum of Understanding that was signed between the Western Cape Government, SAPS, and the City of Cape Town late last year. A more coordinated approach will drastically increase our collective ability to turn the tide against violent crime in our province.”

ALSO READ: Milnerton scissor attack suspect in court