LEAP officers confiscate 14 firearms during March

The Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers continue to work creating safer communities by conducting various operations and patrols in the hotspot areas where they are deployed. Between 4 and 31 March 2024, the officers confiscated 14 firearms and arrested 1 097 individuals for an array of crimes. LEAP, which stems from the Western Cape Safety Plan(WCSP) is an initiative of the Western Cape Government(WCG) in partnership with the City of Cape Town(CoCT).

The 14 firearms confiscated were:

• x1 Pistol in Atlantis;
• x1 Pistol, x1 revolver and x1 zip gun in Bishop Lavis;
• x1 Pistol in Delft;
• x1 Pistol in Gugulethu;
• x1 Pistol in Khayeltisha;
• x1 Zip gun in Mfuleni;
• x1 Pistol and x2 zip guns in Mitchells Plain;
• x1 Pistol in Nyanga; and
• x2 Pistols in Philippi (Hanover Park).

Since inception in 2020 to date, LEAP have recovered 578 illegal firearms.

Amongst others, the arrests included:

• 10 for the possession of illegal firearms,
• 16 for the possession of imitation firearms,
• 64 for the possession of dangerous weapons,
• 713 for the possession of drugs and
• 23 for dealing in drugs.

Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen, said: “The continued role that LEAP plays to combat crime in the murder hotspot areas is highly significant, particularly since our aim is to halve the murder rate by 2029.  When we initiated the WCSP in 2019, we set out to ensure that SAPS’ hand would be strengthened in the fight against crime. As WCG, we have once again demonstrated our commitment to LEAP by allocating R 350 million for the 2024/25 financial year. I want to assure our communities that their safety remains our priority.”

LEAP is strategically deployed, and its operations are based on evidence and data so that they support communities most affected. This approach is also used as part of monitoring and evaluation to determine the effectiveness of LEAP and inform a cycle of continuous improvement. This includes our top 10 murder areas in the Western Cape, such as Delft, Gugulethu, Harare, Khayelitsha (Site B policing precinct), Kraaifontein, Mfuleni, Mitchells Plain, Nyanga, Philippi East, and Samora Machel. Other high crime areas in which they are deployed are Atlantis, Bishop Lavis and Hanover Park, along with Lavender Hill, Steenberg and Grassy Park.

LEAP officers work with a multitude of law enforcement agencies which is inclusive of other CoCT Law Enforcement agencies, the South African Police Service, neighbourhood watches, Community Policing Forums and various other stakeholders.

“I encourage our residents to continue working with our LEAP officers, as this will assist in getting more criminals behind bars. It is vital to us as the WCG that our residents can live in a safe and dignified environment,” concluded Minister Reagen Allen.