Minister Plato welcomes Safety Interventions and Arrests of N2 Highway Criminals

Media Release by Dan Plato, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety

I welcome the arrest of six people over the weekend for their suspected involvement in the recent robberies on the N2 highway, close to the airport and commend the South African Police Service (SAPS) for their swift action.

The increase in reported crime along the N2 has been of great concern for the Western Cape Government.

After learning of the initial robberies, the Department of Community Safety called an urgent meeting between the SAPS, the Western Cape Traffic Services, the City of Cape Town Traffic and Metro Police and the Western Cape’s Traffic Services to find possible solutions.

Various interventions have been put in place to help secure safety along the stretch of road where most of the incidents have occurred. These include:

• Increased enforcement operations by the relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure at least one vehicle is patrolling along the N2 and R300;
• Expanded monitoring by the CCTV operations centre; and
• Clearing of vegetation along the road which could be used to hide objects or would be assailants.

I thank those involved for their continued dedication in ensuring safety along the N2 and R300. I call on anyone affected by similar incidents of criminal activity, or witnessing these incidents to please report them to the police. Without this knowledge the police will not be informed of where specific resources are needed. Any person living or visiting Cape Town can use the city’s emergency telephone line (107 from landline or 021 480 7700) to be efficiently transferred to the nearest relevant emergency service provider, such as the ambulance, fire, police or traffic service.

Affected individuals can also raise any poor response times from the authorities with the Department of Community Safety’s 24/7 policing complaints hotline on 021 483 4332.

Although the arrests made by the South African Police Services (SAPS) do not mean the interventions should come to a stop, it does show that crime does not pay. It is a well-deserved victory for everyone who has worked tirelessly to help increase safety on the N2, and I look forward to more arrests so that a strong message is sent to anybody looking to attack our motorists. I trust that the rest of the justice system will ensure that those found guilty are convicted and sentenced.