Minister Allen concludes safety visit to Cape Winelands Region
Between 24 – 25 October 2022, Western Cape MEC of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen conducted safety oversight visits and had engagements in the Breedevalley, Witzenberg and Langeberg Municipal areas.
MEC Reagen Allen was accompanied by the Cape Winelands District Executive Mayor, Alderlady (Dr) Elna von Schlicht. The oversight visits included:
• Meetings with relevant safety officials and executives in the Breedevalley, Witzenberg and Langeberg municipalities,
• Unannounced visits to the Worcester, Wolseley, Ashton and Robertson SAPS stations,
• Attending the safety stakeholder engagement in Wolseley,
• Meeting with the Tulbagh Neighbourhood (NHW) and Farm Watch, including the CPF and their SAPS members and
• Patrolling with the Zwelethemba NHW and South African Police Services members
MEC Reagen Allen said: “My sincere gratitude goes to the Cape Winelands District Executive Mayor, Dr Von Schlicht who accompanied me to all the activities and engagements. I’m encouraged by the Executive Mayor’s desire to ensure that as a collective we all work towards not only creating a safer district, but an entire safer Western Cape. This is critical, as we want residents and visitors alike to live and move in a dignified manner. I am grateful for the robust engagements we could have with the various stakeholders. It’s clear that we all want to live in improved conditions, and that we will not allow criminal elements to derail us from achieving this.”
MEC Reagen Allen added: “The continued chronic under resourcing at the SAPS stations remains a deep concern, and the picture at the stations we visited is quite grim. At one station, there was only one officer in the charge office. At another, there are a number of officers facing various charges, including criminal charges and three are currently out on bail. Amongst others, I’ll be engaging the Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile about how we can ensure that our stations located outside the borders of the Cape Metro are also prioritised for resource allocations. There is a clear need:
• to address ill-discipline amongst SAPS members,
• to move away from deploying residents at local stations and
• filling the priority posts.
Our dedicated men and women in blue are working under strenuous conditions, and I will continue making it my business to fight, lobby and advocate for them. At the same time, I’d also like to state that where we have SAPS officers overstepping boundaries and operating like criminals, you do not deserve the uniform and should instead join those in the orange uniforms.”
“I take my hat off to the young people of Zwelethemba in Worcester, who are so active in the fight against crime in their community. I’m grateful for the opportunity that was presented to me to patrol with them. They are an example that should be copied throughout the Western Cape. I’m looking forward to returning to the district for the safety summit in the middle of November, and to further engage more role players in the safety arena” concluded MECReagen Allen.
Source: Government of South Africa