Coronavirus – South Africa: MEC Albert Fritz on Western Cape Safety Plan officers continue to support Coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown

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The Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, commends the 500 newly deployed law enforcement officers, appointed through the Western Cape Safety Plan, who are continuously supporting the enforcement of the lockdown. The law enforcement officers are working with SAPS and SANDF as part of a joint effort.

Between 27 April and 3 May 2020, the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) law enforcement officers:

• Attended to 117 COVID-19 related complaints;
• Held 6 roadblocks;
• Stopped and Searched 1599 persons;
• Searched 4206 vehicles;
• Searched 81 houses;
• Participated in 42 joint operations;
• Issued 1386 notices including section 341, section 56 and traffic notices; and
• Arrested 8 persons.

Minister Fritz said, “I commend the 500 deployed law enforcement officers who are providing continuous support to the joint command of SAPS and SANDF. These officers have been deployed in 8 clusters including Khayelitsha, Lentegeur, Nyanga (including Bishop Lavis), and Delft (including Blue Downs).”

LEAP law enforcement officers are supporting the lockdown by:

• Operating in conjunction with SAPS and the Anti-Gang Unit to perform COVID-19 related operations and crime prevention operations within the various clusters;
• Being deployed within the 8 clusters attending to COVID-19 complaints dispatched by the 107 Control Centre; and
• Assisting in the 8 clusters with a response team attached to the COVID-19, particularly in response to gatherings, events and taverns operating in the respective areas.

Minister Fritz said, “Over the course of the lockdown period, we have seen a staggering decline in certain categories of crime, particularly, suspected murders. If we compare weeks 14 and 18 in 2020, the lockdown period, with the same timeframe in 2019, we see a 50.8% decrease in suspected murders. While the murder of one remains the murder of one too many, I welcome this decrease in suspected murders.”

Minister Fritz added, “During Wednesday’s ad-hoc committee on COVID-19, SAPS revealed that between 27 March and 4 May 2020, the total number of lockdown offences recorded by SAPS were as follows:

• 16 833 total cases with 17 059 suspects;
• 565 people were released on police warning; and
• 16 494 (J534) paid admission of guilt fines.”

“To those on the frontlines in our Safety and Security Directorate, I say thank you for your continued commitment and determination in helping to keep our city safe. We appreciate the sacrifices you are making and your dedication towards the safety of residents in Cape Town does not go unnoticed,” JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security at the City of Cape Town.

Issued by:
Western Cape Community Safety

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Government.