CoCT's JP Smith excited about new working relationship with SAPS, says it's a step in right direction
The working partnership between the SAPS, metro police, and law enforcement agencies was announced in Cape Town on Tuesday.
Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu, top SAPS officials, City of Cape Town officials and Western Cape government officials held a stakeholder engagement meeting on 27 August 2024 ahead of the official signing of a Cooperation Agreement between the SAPS and the City of Cape Town. Picture: @SAPoliceService/X
CAPE TOWN - Cape Town Safety and Security MMC JP Smith said that he was excited about the new working relationship between the city, the provincial administration, and national government to fight crime in the Cape.
The working partnership between the SAPS, metro police, and law enforcement agencies was announced in Cape Town on Tuesday.
[WATCH]
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) August 27, 2024
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu is in Cape Town this morning to engage stakeholders ahead of the official signing of a working relationship with the City of Cape Town, to enhance safety and security in the metro and province @NtuthuzeloNene pic.twitter.com/yDev5CjhQd
[WATCH] Police Minister Senzo Mchunu says ordinary citizens deserve the same protection as parliamentarians @NtuthuzeloNene pic.twitter.com/MiUikwCoFe
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) August 27, 2024
This collaborative approach to policing between these three spheres of government will include the sharing of resources and intelligence to fight crime in the Cape.
Smith said this was something they'd been working towards for a long time.
"I'm looking forward to this. We have been working on this for two-and-a-half years and I'm grateful that Minister Mchunu has brought us to the point where we've concluded it. It was frustrating to see it sit on the shelves. Now we must finish the implementation agreement, which is where the real meat and detail lies."
Smith said that they were happy to share any of the city's resources with SAPS.
"It can only be of benefit to SAPS and to the city for us to work together, to squeeze the best advantage out of our respective resources and strengths."
The MMC said that the new working relationship between the city's law enforcers and the South African Police Service (SAPS) was a step in the right direction.
Smith added that this did not mean a devolution of police powers.
He said there were so many areas where they could help each other.
"At the moment, we again have a major risk rising in Atlantis with CODETA and CATA squaring off, people being intimidated by operators moving in illegally into the area. There's a major fight brewing there imminently, if we are not careful. These are exactly the kind of crime intelligence issues and collaborations, where us working together, can make it better for our communities."
When asked if the Government of National Unity (GNU) played any part in the formation of this partnership, Smith had this to say:
"One of two things: either the GNU has created an environment for us to collaborate but I would say that our willingness existed before the GNU to do this. I suspect the personality of the minister has got something to do with it. He has a less adversarial approach to this, a more inclusive approach."