CAPE TOWN — The Cape Town Metro Police are actively seeking expanded investigative powers to address the city’s critical firearm conviction rates, a strategic move aimed at dismantling networks driving violent crime. City officials argue that granting the metropolitan force the authority to independently investigate their own arrests will bypass national backlogs and deliver justice to communities plagued by gang activity.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has publicly endorsed the position of retiring SAPS Western Cape Commissioner Thembisile Patekile, who recently voiced his backing for enhancing the metropolitan force’s capabilities. During a broadcast interview that initially experienced minor audio transmission delays before being resolved, the city’s MMC for Safety and Security, JP Smith, elaborated on the practical necessity of this operational upgrade.
Smith detailed how the metro police already collaborate extensively with SAPS at both local and provincial levels, successfully intercepting illegal firearms and narcotics while combating extortion and kidnapping for ransom. Despite these efforts, the city faces a severe judicial bottleneck: out of the 500 illegal guns confiscated annually, the conviction rate sits at a mere 4.7%. Consequently, 95 out of every 100 individuals arrested with illegal weapons are released without facing legal consequences.
The core issue lies in the current handover process. When metro officers make an arrest for offenses ranging from firearm possession to drunk driving or drug trafficking, the cases are transferred to SAPS. Overloaded detectives and severely backlogged forensic facilities frequently result in these cases being withdrawn. To rectify this, the city is requesting the authority to investigate cases where they are the primary arresting officers. This includes managing ballistics testing to present prosecution-ready dossiers directly to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Addressing concerns about the scope of the request, Smith emphasized that the provincial commissioner clarified this is strictly an expansion of duties—covering areas like assault and drunk driving—rather than a full devolution of policing powers. To support this, Mayor Hill-Lewis has proposed a financial investment in the upcoming July fiscal year to further bolster these investigative resources.
With gang violence accounting for at least a fifth of Cape Town’s murder rate, the ability to process forensic ballistics locally is viewed as a critical, low-hanging fruit. Smith noted that the city has already received equipment donation offers from various corporate and government entities. Furthermore, the metro police already employ qualified personnel capable of conducting forensic ballistic testing to the exact same national standards, which would significantly alleviate the existing national backlog.
While the retiring provincial commissioner is supportive, national-level resistance remains a hurdle. Smith recalled a meeting nearly a year ago with Minister Kachalia, the MEC, the premier, and the mayor. Although the minister was initially receptive, subsequent written correspondence has been unfavorable. Conversely, President Ramapora previously demonstrated ideological support by traveling to Cape Town to sign a cooperation agreement at Erica Park.
Frustrated by the national minister’s refusal to grant the expanded powers—a denial Smith argues is irrational and contrary to the public interest, given that many other municipalities desire similar authority—Mayor Hill-Lewis has instructed legal advisors to initiate court proceedings to force a judicial pronouncement on the matter.
Smith systematically dismantled three common arguments against the expansion. First, he rejected the “criminalization of poverty” claim, stating that arresting individuals who terrorize communities with illegal firearms is a matter of public safety, not poverty. Second, he countered claims of municipal incapacity by highlighting that the national government has already devolved various enforcement duties to local authorities, including the Secondhand Goods Act for metal theft, marine resource protection, and liquor, drug, and gang enforcement. He added that international best practice favors local policing. Finally, regarding oversight, Smith pointed out that local law enforcement is subject to all national oversight mechanisms plus additional local and provincial civilian and portfolio committees. Citing reports from Corruption Watch and independent police investigative bodies, he noted that corruption rates within the Cape Town metro force are a fraction of those seen nationally.
In a concluding remark regarding a separate legal matter, Smith confirmed that the city, alongside Zante Lindberg, is pursuing a multi-million-rand lawsuit against the police. This litigation follows court rulings that declared certain police raids invalid, unconstitutional, and illegal, with the city seeking to address the resulting reputational damage.