SONA 2023: Ramaphosa fails to address Cape Town gang and drug crimes
Cape Town Mayor says President Cyril Ramaphosa failed to address the policing crisis in the city in his SONA 2023.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the city is disappointed that President Cyril Ramaphosa failed to address the policing crises in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday night, 9 February 2023.
RAMAPHOSA FAILED TO ADDRESS THE CAPE TOWN POLICING CRISIS
Hill-Lewis spoke to the Diplomatic Corps reception in Cape Town on Friday morning, 10 February 2023.
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Hill-Lewis said Ramaphosa said nothing in his SONA regarding policing the ongoing gang and drug crimes.
THE CONVICTION RATE FOR GANG CRIMES IS LOW
The mayor said it seemed lost on the President that he was being hosted in a city ‘where police are majorly under-resourced while gang, gun and drug crime rages on with innocent people, including children, caught in the cross-fire”.
“All he said was is that SAPS continues with its routine annual national recruitment. Yet conviction rates for gang crime are in the lower single digits.”
Geordin Hill–Lewis
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The Cape Town mayor said there was no news in Ramaphosa’s SONA address of a special deployment of policing resources to the city. He said 71% of their police stations are under-resourced.
He added that it was crucial to note that Ramaphosa said nothing about devolving more policing powers to well-trained municipal law enforcement officers to help SAPS fight crime.
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Ramaphosa told a joint sitting that violent crime heavily affects every South African. He said communities across our country live in fear for the safety of their families.
“This situation cannot continue. We are strengthening the South African Police Service to prevent crime and improving the capacity of the National Prosecuting Authority and courts to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice. This includes putting more police on the streets and setting up specialised teams that will focus on specific types of crime.”
Cyril Ramaphosa
Ramaphosa said since 2021, more than 10 000 new POLICE recruits graduated, and 10 000 more will be recruited this year.
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He said specialised police teams tackling crimes like kidnapping, extortion, and illegal mining had several breakthroughs.
“Our officers are already taking guns and drugs off the streets daily. But with more policing powers, they can build prosecution-ready case dockets and gain convictions,” Hill-Lewis said.
