Hill-Lewis says the South African Police Service has disappointed the public.
Cape Town mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis said his party, the DA will create a police unit that is far more effective than the South African Police Service (Saps) in Cape Town should he be re-elected as mayor for another term.
He was speaking in the same City where he will contest as the DA’s mayoral candidate for the upcoming local government elections.
“We refuse to accept that crime is just part of life. We cannot accept that mothers must listen to gunshots at night and wonder whether their children are safe during the day. We cannot accept that illegal guns move through our communities while the national police service fails to do its job properly.
“We know the truth: Saps is failing too many communities. It is under-resourced, badly led and, in many places, corrupt Saps officers are in corrupt relationships with gangs. And while national government fails in its policing mandate, Capetonians pay the price. So we have no choice but to keep building Cape Town’s own policing capacity. No longer will we be beholden to others to keep our people safe.”
Policing powers
He said the DA will fight for more policing powers in Cape Town so that the municipality can ensure the safety of residents.
“Because an arrest means little if the case collapses. A confiscated gun means little if the criminal is back on the street. To take Cape Town forward, we will build a Metro Police Detective Unit so that we can investigate cases ourselves.
“This will help ensure that criminals do not just get arrested, but actually go to jail. Cape Town needs a full chain of accountability: detection, investigation, prosecution and conviction.
“We cannot wait for Saps to beat crime. The only way we will live without fear is if we build our own policing capacity. I will not stop fighting until we have the powers we need, the tools we need, and the officers we need, to make Cape Town safer for all,” he said.
Work opportunities and investment in Cape Town
Hill-Lewis also pledged to create more jobs in the City of Cape Town while also attracting investors to this coastal city.
“in our first term, Cape Town created more jobs than any other city in South Africa. 480 000 new jobs in four and a half years. In the same period, only 70 000 new jobs were created in Joburg.
“In all three Gauteng metros combined, there were just 348 000 new jobs. Yet, in Cape Town, 480 000 new jobs were created, more than all of them put together. Put another way, for every 1 job created in Joburg, nearly 7 new jobs are created in Cape Town. Friends, that did not happen by accident.
“It happened because the DA governs in Cape Town, And where we govern, we create the conditions for businesses to invest and grow. That means cutting red tape that blocks growth,” he said.
Infrastructure
He said the City of Cape Town has made a considerable effort in investing in infrastructure programmes more than any other City in the country.
“We will continue to invest more in essential infrastructure than any other metro in South Africa. Because when cities work, people work.”
Hill-Lewis said Cape Town must remain a city that delivers reliable services while keeping costs as affordable as possible.
“We must continue to reduce our reliance on Eskom so we can get cheaper electricity. We will take Cape Town forward by buying hundreds more megawatts of cheaper electricity from independent producers, and we will pass those savings on to residents,” he said.