Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and Police Minister Bheki Cele have continued to trade accusations on the resources deployed to the province to fight crime.
Winde says Cele is not telling the truth when he says enough police officers have been dispatched to reinforce security in the province.
At the weekend, Cele also accused Winde of lying when he said the Western Cape was starved of resources – citing several interventions made in the fight against crime.
Cele, along with police top brass, engaged with community members during a ministerial imbizo at Rocklands, in Mitchells Plain, on crime issues plaguing the community.
#PoliceMinistry The #Imbizo is providing Mitchells Plain residents with a platform to discuss and engage the SAPS on the identified crimes such as kidnapping, GBV, gangsterism and other serious and contact crimes plaguing the community. ML pic.twitter.com/6aOzG8tLlK
— SA Police Service ?? (@SAPoliceService) October 8, 2021
Gang and drug-related crimes have been identified as a major concern in the area.
Winde says Cele was merely electioneering.
“He is saying that we are getting the most resources and it is absolutely wrong. Generally, on the whole range of allocations, the Western Cape is the fourth in line and especially when it comes to murder, especially the Cape Flats. The Cape Flats is the murder capital of SA. That is where murder happens. They should be getting the most resources and [if] they don’t they get left behind.”
Meanwhile, Police Minister, Bheki Cele says it’s untrue that the province is being starved of resources, citing a number of interventions made in the fight against crime.
“We have created a special team here for extortion. It was the first province where we created an anti-gang unit at a very high expense. This province is one with the taxi task team,” says Cele.
He says the police are working across the country to ensure the safety of people across South Africa.
“We are looking very closely on the question of kidnapping. So, we really work, and we are completely blind to the question of geography. All our eyes are open on the question of making the people of South Africa, including the Western Cape, in particular, Cape Flats safe.”
Video: Mitchells Plain community raises concerns about gun crimes and an increase in drug trafficking
