Crime stats: Western Cape government calls for policing overhaul

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde is calling for a complete reform of South Africa’s policing system, advocating for increased resources and a decentralised approach following the release of the latest crime statistics.

The premier welcomed a 3.4% drop in the murder rate across the province for the third quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year, representing a decline of 41 cases.

Despite this downward trend, provincial officials remain vigilant, warning that gang violence, extortion, and firearm-related crimes continue to plague many communities.

Premier Winde highlighted that the quarterly statistics, released on Friday, serve as proof that locally driven, evidence-based policing models are effective. According to the data:

Murder rates dropped by 3.7% specifically in areas where Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers are deployed.

The most significant improvements were recorded in Delft, Gugulethu, and Mitchells Plain.

While the imminent deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to gang-afflicted areas is a significant step, Winde insists it must be accompanied by a comprehensive overhaul of the criminal justice system.

"We must sit at the same table as SAPS to ensure that the deployment is not just a short-term fix," Winde stated. "That it has a carry-through and starts to bring crime down in our province, especially those apex crimes."

The premier emphasised that for these efforts to be sustainable, the national government must provide the necessary resources to ensure that increased arrests translate into successful prosecutions.