The Western Cape Community Safety and Policing Department launched the Delft Area-Based Team, which aims to quell the high rates of crime in the region.

The launch of the group follows the release of the national Second Quarter Crime Statistics – which saw Delft as the murder capital for that quarter.

The number of cases reported in Delft, between July and September this year, also saw the region in the national top 10 for rape, carjacking as well as robberies at residential premises. Meanwhile, provincially, it further ranked in the top five for assault with grievous assault, robbery with aggravating circumstances and kidnapping among others.

READ ALSO: Western Cape Second Quarter Crime Stats

With that in mind, the Community Safety Department launched its Area-Based Team (ABT) – to form part of the Western Cape Government’s Violence Prevention Unit. This ABT will consist of government and non-government stakeholders, who will be sharing information amongst each other, to tackle violence and crime in the area.

“Our Western Cape safety plan makes it clear that both law enforcement and violence prevention is required if we are to address crimes in our communities.” – Reagan Allen, MEC for Community Safety and Police Oversight

The Community Safety and Police Oversight Department says that Philippi, Mitchells Plain, Atlantis, West Coast, Grabouw, Kraaifontein and Thembalethu are among the other regions that have ABTs in various stages of development.

The Delft Community Policing Forum says it welcomes the ABT, as all parties need to work together, as violence in the community is everyone’s concern.

“We are keen to work with all organisations [and] government structures, to bring crime down, especially now in the 16 Days of Activism [for No Violence Against Women and Children.” – Soeraya Davids, Delft Community Policing Forum