Deploy SAPS according to data to combat murders

Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen says the revelation by the National Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, during a press briefing, yesterday that there were more than 100 murders in one week in the province, is yet another clear demonstration why the deployment of South African Police Service (SAPS) members should be based on data, evidence and where the murder and overall crime rate is the highest. 

The SAPS stations where most of the homicides occurred, and like so many others are severely under-resourced. Gugulethu has a police-to-population ratio of 1:874, Delft, 1:784, Harare, 1:773, Kraaifontein, 1:740, Mfuleni, 1:581, Ravensmead, 1:630 and Woodstock, 1:319. During the 2021/22 financial year, the ideal staffing requirement at SAPS station level across South Africa was 193 476 officers. Currently, there are only 105 935 officers. The granted establishment for the Western Cape is 21 367, but as at the 2020/21 financial year, this stood at 19 505.

“These continued and unacceptable police-to-population ratio levels are part of the reasons why SAPS is unable to be fully effective in combatting crime in these areas,” said Minister Allen.

The shortcomings of the SAPS are one of the many reasons why the Western Cape Government has stepped in with its Western Cape Safety Plan (WCSP). From this plan, and in partnership with the City of Cape Town (CoCT), we activated our Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers in 2020. LEAP officers are strategically deployed, and their operations are based on evidence and data. 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.

“Every year, as the Western Cape Government (WCG), we submit our Policing-Needs-and-Priorities (PnP) to the National Minister of Police’s office, highlighting the shortfalls and where urgent resource allocations are required. This has and continues however to be ignored,” added Minister Reagen Allen.

From 24 to 30 September 2023, 130 homicides occurred in the Western Cape, which is the highest for the year, to date. Regrettably, Gugulethu, recorded the highest homicides with a total of 13 cases. This included 2 mass murder incidents. This was followed by Delft and Harare with 8 cases each. Four precincts, namely Kraaifontein, Mfuleni, Ravensmead and Woodstock recorded 6 homicides each.

Minister Reagen Allen continued: “In Delft, where we have 144 LEAP officers, it represents almost 50% of the entire SAPS deployment. Gugulethu has 63, Kraaifontein, 72 and Mfuleni, 76 LEAP officers. Our LEAP officers are consistently showing that they can make a difference, in the face of chronic under-resourcing by SAPS. The fourth quarter crime statistics for the 2022/23 financial year showed a reduction in the murder rate of 14,1%, while the first quarter of the current financial year had a 5,5% reduction rate.”

“Effectively combatting murders will require SAPS to completely overhaul their operations. There is a need for the national minister to show urgency in this regard. I want to assure the residents of the Western Cape that we will continue to, through our oversight of the SAPS, exert pressure on them so that they become more effective in their crime fighting efforts. We also remain resolute in our call for the devolution of policing powers to capable provincial governments such as ours, as we will ensure that SAPS is managed in a manner that provides a professional and diligent service to the people of this province,” added Minister Reagen Allen. 

“I am appalled that certain individuals are so heartless and have this little regard for life. There cannot be any form of empathy for these killers, as they clearly have chosen to live a lawless life. SAPS should swiftly ensure that the perpetrators are arrested, while utilising their intelligence to prevent similar and further atrocities from occurring. I feel for the families of the many victims that lost their lives, especially since they have to deal with the pain of no longer having their loved one around,” concluded Minister

Reagen Allen.