WC Safety MEC Marais says it's too early to attribute decline in various crimes to policing agreement
The statistics, for the period between October and December last year, show a decline in various crimes, including murder, sexual offences, assault and robbery.
The Western Cape MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais, Western Cape Police Commissioner Lt Gen (Adv) TE Patekile and the chairperson of the National Community Police Consultative Forum, Fransina Lukas presented the provincial crime states for the third quarter of 2024/2025 on 25 February 2025. Picture: @SAPoliceService/X
CAPE TOWN - Western Cape MEC for community safety and police oversight, Anroux Marais, said it was too early to tell whether a collaborative policing agreement between the three spheres of government was bearing fruit in the province.
Marais joined the province's police commissioner, Thembisile Patekile, on Tuesday to announce the latest crime statistics for the region.
The statistics, for the period between October and December last year, show a decline in various crimes, including murder, sexual offences, assault and robbery.
Marais said she was pleased that 15% of murders decreased in areas of the province where LEAP officers were deployed.
The MEC said it was still too early to tell whether the drop in crime could be attributed to the cooperation agreement for safety and policing, which was signed by the SAPS, the City of Cape Town and the provincial government last year.
"I think it's still early days. There is a better goodwill that's between the national government and the city and the province, that was never there before."
Marais said that the agreement was set to be signed into implementation in March.