Winde to present request for WC gang violence to be declared provincial disaster

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde says that he will present requests for gang violence to be declared a provincial state of disaster to national government.

Winde's promise comes after the Cape Crime Crises Coalition raised concerns about the premier ignoring its plea to declare gang violence a provincial disaster while seeking the same declaration for drought and ongoing wildfires in the province.

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Winde responded to the coalition on Thursday, saying while the matter is receiving urgent attention, crime prevention and law enforcement are national competencies.

"Our legal team has given us all the advice, and we can't, because it's not our competency, declare a disaster but it has to come from national, so we will now take those requests, and we will send it to national government."

Meanwhile, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said that acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia can no longer delay granting more policing powers to the City of Cape Town.

Hill-Lewis said Cachalia this week admitted he does not believe the South African Police Service (SAPS) has the capacity to stop the ongoing gang violence in the Western Cape.

"Given that he has made this frank admission, it's now impossible for him to delay the granting of our request for more policing powers for city officers to help SAPS investigate crime. We stand ready and willing and able and keen to help."

Hill-Lewis said the city has already handed Cachalia regulations to sign.

"Our metro police officers are ready to help with gang gun and drug crime investigations in particular, so we can get those prosecution rates up."

The mayor said he has requested a meeting with Cachalia to stop delaying the expansion of the city's policing powers.