Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has urged Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to go further in his proposed expansion of powers for municipal police, arguing that the current draft regulations fall short of what is needed to effectively combat crime in the city.
Minister Mchunu last week released draft regulations aimed at enhancing municipal policing powers, with a 60-day public comment period commencing on 10 June. While the City has welcomed the initiative, officials believe the proposals need significant strengthening.
“We welcome the Minister’s willingness to expand municipal policing powers, but the draft regulations are far too limited. Our officers need more than just the existing powers to search and arrest – they need criminal investigative powers to build prosecution-ready case dockets,” said Hill-Lewis.
The Mayor stressed that investigative powers would greatly enhance the City’s ability to secure convictions, particularly in firearms cases.
“With investigative powers, we can vastly improve conviction rates for the over 400 illegal firearm confiscations made by City officers annually,” he said.
Hill-Lewis believes that the criminal justice system in its current form has resulted in the vast majority of cases not going to trial.
He claims only 5% of the 1,670 illegal firearm cases brought by City officers over the past four years have resulted in convictions.
Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, highlighted the City’s approach in preparing officers for investigative responsibilities.
“We believe that our track record has shown that despite limited resources and policing powers, City police have made a massive impact in the fight against crime,” he said.
The City has already implemented special training modules and continues to expand its policing footprint through initiatives such as LEAP, the recruitment of over 1,100 new officers since 2021, and an R800 million investment in policing technology.
