Political parties debate how to tackle crime in Cape Town - IOL

Political parties at a local government elections debate offered no any lasting solutions to the ongoing scourge of violence plaguing Cape Town and surrounding communities.

Instead parties focused on what can be done, what has already been done and what might and might not work to stop the violence. The crime dialogue called for job creation, improved community services and criminal justice reform, while differing over policing powers, army deployments and the death penalty.

The “Big Local Government Dialogue” was organised by the Cape Forum in Bellville on Wednesday.

National Coloured Congress leader Fadiel Adams said his party did not have all the answers to fight crime because crime in the City was evolving faster than law enforcement agencies could cope.

“If you want to reduce crime in the City of Cape Town create employment opportunities and in our case for the Coloured children who have long been marginalised. Give our children jobs before the gangs do,” Adams said.

He called for the release of land for the development of amenities such as sports fields.

Adams spoke against the push by the City to be given policing powers to investigate crime, claiming that it lost 27 firearms that were not reported to the SAPS.

City of Cape Town human settlements Mayco member Carl Popham said there was a need to fix the criminal justice system.

Popham said there was a recurrence of crime because of the non-conviction of people.

“If we don't fix the criminal justice system, criminal activities will continue,” he said.

Popham added that there was a need to invest in infrastructure and create jobs.

However, BOSA leader Mmusi Maimane said the deployment of the army to the communities was not a solution.

“We need to fix our communities. If families are dysfunctional, our young people will be dysfunctional,” Maimane said.

He also said more powers should be given to metro police to do investigation of crimes as the SAPS is short of about 6000 detectives.

“We must identify in Cape Town the top 10 gang leaders and lock them up.”

Maimane added another way to fight crime was to ensure that there was economic growth, job creation and fix infrastructure such as broken lights that enabled the gangsters to thrive.

GOOD Party secretary-general Brett Herron said policing was a national competency and community development the City’s responsibility.

“Community development is where the City could intervene to address conditions that cause crime,” Herron said.

He highlighted the unemployment, lack of amenities, housing crisis and lack of programmes for youth development.

“The City must fulfil its mandate, which is community development. It is failing 100% in community development.”

Herron dismissed the suggestion by the DA that the criminal justice system must be fixed, saying the DA-led Health Department in the Western Cape contributed to the state of affairs.

“There are 418 awaiting trial prisoners for serious violent crime because the Health department can't put through psychiatric assessments,” he said, adding that the Western Cape Heath Department did not employ enough psychiatrists to do the psychiatric assessments required in courts.

Cape Independence Party’s Jack Miller said the only way to address the crime was to fundamentally change the constitution and give autonomy to the province.

“The death penalty is not allowed. Criminals do as they want. We need to treat criminals the way they treat innocent human beings,” Miller said.

ActionSA mayoral candidate Dereleen James said there was no need for more boots on the ground in the City of two tales where one part bleeds and the other shines.

“The crime that is unfolding is driven by addiction that is facing the youth of South Africa and Cape Town. We say give more jobs, create a thriving economy. We need to have communities where investors can invest," James said.

She said crime was thriving where there was no delivery of services and the punitive measures were not a response to what was happening on the Cape Flats.

People Movement for Change leader Marius Fransman said the City’s budget should be redirected to social and community development and create an inclusive and safe society.

Freedom Front Plus leader Corne Mulder echoed the other speakers’ sentiments on economic growth, job creation and opportunities for young people.

“We feel the economic policies are wrong. We need a different approach to economic growth,” Mulder said.