LEAP Officers confiscate 15 firearms during first three weeks of March
Between 27 February – 19 March 2023, Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers removed 15 firearms from areas plagued by violence. 11 illegal and 4 imitation firearms were discovered in Nyanga, Kraaifontein, Delft, Mfuleni, Bishop Lavis, Harare, Khayelitsha, Philippi East and Manenberg.
LEAP is an initiative of the Western Cape Government (WCG) to make a visible difference in crime-fighting in targeted priority areas in the Cape Metro and is run in partnership with the City of Cape Town (CoCT).
The LEAP officers made 806 arrests.
Amongst others, the arrests include:
- 8 for the possession of illegal firearms
- 7 for the possession of imitation firearms
- 35 for the possession of dangerous weapons
- 570 for the possession of drugs and
- 7 for the possession of illegal ammunition
Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen said: “The continued efforts and successes of the LEAP officers are critical if we are to combat crime across violent areas in the Cape Metro. These officers are consistently demonstrating that their only mission is to make our communities safer, so that residents can live in improved and dignified communities.”
The operational strategy and deployment of the various LEAP teams is based on available evidence and is data-led. This approach is also used as part of monitoring and evaluation to determine the effectiveness of LEAP and inform a cycle of continuous improvement. This includes our top 10 murder areas in the Western Cape, such as Delft, Gugulethu, Harare, Khayelitsha (Site B policing precinct), Kraaifontein, Mfuleni, Mitchells Plain, Nyanga, Philippi East, and Samora Machel. Other high crime areas in which they are deployed are Atlantis, Bishop Lavis and Hanover Park, along with Lavender Hill, Steenberg and Grassy Park.
“For the 2023/24 financial year, we have set aside R 350 million to ensure that the continued boots on the ground assist and strengthens the work of the SAPS. In addition to this, we have also set R 10 million aside for the introduction of LEAP stations. The stations will be additional spaces where our LEAP officers can deploy from, and allow community members to directly engage LEAP officers, should they be uncomfortable to go to a SAPS station. With the continued failure of the national government to provide the required and needed resources and equipment, we have had to step in, as we cannot have our communities living in fear or being held hostage by unscrupulous characters,” continued Minister Reagen Allen.
During the same period, LEAP officers have amongst others:
• Searched 28 877 persons,
• Searched 2 063 houses,
• Conducted 4 842 patrols in hotspot areas,
• Conducted 211 roadblocks and
• Searched 2 503 vehicles.
As LEAP officers work with a multitude of law enforcement agencies, they conducted 543 integrated operations with other City of Cape Town Law Enforcement Agencies and the South African Police Services (SAPS).
Minister Reagen Allen added: “We want to assure residents that LEAP will continue to work with all relevant law enforcement agencies, including SAPS, along with the various community structures such as neighbourhood watches and Community Police Forums (CPFs). I urge communities to work with and support all law enforcement agencies, as through this cooperation and collaboration, we will become stronger in our fight against crime.”
“I further encourage communities to not side with or support any criminals, as this will only lead to their arrest and the continuation of criminality in their areas. Community members should highlight and report any concerns they might have about any officer who is suspected of acting in an unlawful manner. We will continue being relentless in our pursuit of safer communities, even if it means arresting the very men and women in uniform, that are supposed to be on the side of law. It is vital to us that our residents should live in improved and safer environments,” concluded Minister Reagen Allen.
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Media Enquiries:
Marcellino Martin
Spokesperson for Minister Reagen Allen
Marcellino.martin@westerncape.gov.za
082 721 3362 (m)