Additional LEAP officers permanently deployed to Mitchells Plain- WC Safety Plan

Under the leadership of the Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, additional Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) law enforcement officers have been deployed on a permanent basis to Mitchells Plain. Their deployment will assist in reducing gangsterism and violent crime such as murder.

The deployment of the additional LEAP officers has been made possible through the Western Cape Safety Plan which aims to halve murders in the province over the next ten years. As of October 2020, LEAP officers were redeployed to five communities which include Philippi, Delft, Nyanga, Khayelitsha and Bishop Lavis. 

Minister Fritz said, “LEAP members have now been deployed permanently to Mitchells Plain to assist the South African Police Service (SAPS) to stabilize the recent increase in murders in the area. This makes Mitchells Plain the sixth area to receive LEAP deployments in the Cape Town Metropole. These officers will work in an integrated manner with SAPS.”

Minister Fritz added, “Going forward, LEAP contingents will further be deployed to Harare, Mfuleni, Gugulethu and Kraaifontein. We are deploying LEAP officers to those communities as they have been identified as the most affected by violent crime. I am pleased to see the progress we are making since we launched the Western Cape Safety Plan on 19 September 2019, which is making our communities feel safer.”

Minister Fritz added further, “Going forward, the Mitchells Plain contingent of law enforcement will be topped up with additional LEAP officers during the coming weeks. The top up is made possible through the appointment of additional law enforcement officers who will serve to bolster law enforcement and SAPS’ response to crime in Mitchells Plain.”

LEAP enforcement statistics

Between 22 and 28 February 2021, LEAP officers deployed to Philippi, Delft, Nyanga, Khayelitsha and Bishop Lavis have successfully conducted:

• 3983 person searches;
• 105 house searches;
• 492 vehicle check points and vehicle searches;
• 6 follow up visits to ensure shebeen closures;
• 78 inspections of on-consumption and off-consumption liquor premises;
• 147 Autonomous, integrated and joint operations with SAPS.

LEAP officers further made 82 arrests during the period under review, which included:

• 46 arrested for possession and dealing of drugs;
• 19 arrested for possession of dangerous weapons;
• 3 arrested for possession of illegal ammunition;
• 1 arrested for possession of an imitation firearm;
• 2 arrested for trading without a liquor license;
• 2 arrested for house breaking;
• 1 arrested for pointing a firearm; and
• 4 arrested for possession of presumed stolen property.

Minister Fritz said, “I commend our officers on their sterling efforts which are leaving some of our most crime affected communities feeling safer. I also wish to commend SAPS for their support and for working collaboratively with our LEAP officers to ensure that we prevent crime and halve the murder rate in our province.”­