Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced a significant proposal aimed at enhancing the municipal polices investigative capabilities in a move to strengthen the fight against gang violence, gun-related incidents, and the pervasive drug trade, reports Cape town Etc .
This initiative comes as part of the City's formal feedback on the National Police Ministers recently published draft regulations that seek to expand municipal policing powers.
The proposal seeks to emphasise that, while the Police Ministrys willingness to grant additional powers is commendable, the existing draft regulations fall short of what is necessary for real impact.
Mayor Hill-Lewis asserted: We absolutely must improve conviction rates for gang, gun, and drug crime in Cape Town, this is the only way to remove more criminals from the streets of long-suffering communities, where the poorest and most vulnerable are hardest hit,
Currently, the City successfully confiscates approximately 400 illegal firearms each year however, the conviction rates for related cases languish at a dismal five percent, attributed to deficiencies in the broader criminal justice system.