GOOD Statement by Suzette Little,
GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor
4 July 2024
The City of Cape Town must urgently address the ever-escalating crime situation on the Cape Flats, starting with admitting that there is no evidence of the expensive LEAP initiative being remotely successful in reducing violent crime.
The recent surge in senseless killings has once has proven that the current policing system and crime-fighting efforts are failing the law-abiding residents.
Despite efforts like the 24-hour operationalisation of policing resources and the Safer City’s Concept, the root causes of crime continue to be ignored and not effectively tackled.
To combat crime effectively, it is essential to strengthen partnerships with neighborhood watches and Community Policing Forums (CPFs).
Initiatives like LEAP have not yielded the promised results, and those in charge not only refuse to admit this failure but decided to fund it with money meant for education and health, further putting our youth at risk.
The inefficiency of the South African police and the over-reliance on boots on the ground have clearly allowed crime to spiral out of control. The City and the Province must prioritise the safety of residents and engage constructively with the community if they are serious about tackling the issue of crime.
We need bold action and commitment to empowering the Neighbourhood Watch and CPFs, instead of investing in ineffective measures to save political face.
GOOD calls for a sober reassessment of the plans to fight crime as our residents cannot continue to live in war zones. This must include addressing the root causes of crime such as lack of amenities, disparities in services and infrastructure, high levels of youth unemployment and under-investment by the City to address these prevailing and obvious socio-economic drivers of crime on the Cape Flats
Media Enquiries:
Janke Tolmay, GOOD Media Manager
Cell: 073 367 1223
Email: janke@forgood.org.za
Suzette Little, GOOD COCT Councillor
Cell: 073 321 5036
Email: suzettel@forgood.org.za