The City of Cape Town’s decision to formally declare an intergovernmental dispute in order to devolve policing and investigative powers to its Metro Police is a step in the right direction towards combating crime more effectively.
During last week’s council meeting on the Directorate for Safety and Security’s quarterly report, the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) emphasised that the impact of a metro detective unit will be limited as long as case dockets still have to be handed over to the police.
Detectives working at some of the City’s police stations with the highest reported murder rates are already overworked, handling between 300 and 500 case dockets each. While the recommended workload is only 20 to 30 serious case dockets per detective.
The Metro Police cannot combat crime effectively with one hand tied behind its back.
In the Freedom Front Plus’s view, policing and investigative powers should be delegated to local government – the sphere of government closest to communities.
It is the next logical step after the national government has clearly proven itself unable to combat crime effectively, conduct proper investigations and ensure successful prosecutions.
The party also hopes that the Directorate for Safety and Security will explore alternative legal options to facilitate private prosecutions should the intergovernmental dispute be delayed.
Private prosecutions, as provided for in sections 7 to 15 of the Criminal Procedure Act, could provide recourse and closure to families whose loved ones have been murdered on the Cape Flats, and whose cases are not progressing due to poor detective work and incomplete dockets.
These problems are particularly prevalent in high-crime areas such as Delft, Kraaifontein, Nyanga and Mfuleni, where excessive workloads, incomplete investigations and witness intimidation undermine successful prosecutions.
Many case dockets submitted to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) are referred back to the police as a result of flaws. This delays the legal process and reduces the chances of securing convictions.
The Freedom Front Plus will keep advocating for the transfer of policing and investigative powers.
Those responsible for protecting communities should also have the authority and resources to combat crime effectively and bring criminals to justice.
