25 firearms confiscated by Leap officers during first month of 2023
Between 2 January – 29 January 2023, Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers ensured that 25 firearms were removed from our streets. 9 illegal and 16 imitation firearms were discovered in Nyanga, Philippi, Kraaifontein, Delft, Mfuleni, Bonteheuwel (Bishop Lavis), Harare (Khayelitsha) and Manenberg.
LEAP is an initiative of the Western Cape Government (WCG) to make a visible difference in crime-fighting in targeted hotspots in the Cape Metro and is run in partnership with the City of Cape Town (CoCT).
The LEAP officers made 839 arrests, which is just under 100 more than the previous month.
Amongst others, the arrests include:
• 11 for the possession of illegal firearms
• 9 for the possession of imitation firearms
• 72 for the possession of dangerous weapons
• 577 for the possession of drugs and
• 21 for the possession of illegal ammunition
Western Cape MEC of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen said: “The LEAP officers are continuing to show how effective they are in taking no prisoners when it comes to making our streets safer. I have requested my department’s officials to start providing information around the successful convictions of those that are being arrested, so that we hold the national justice system to account as a key part of our provincial monitoring and oversight responsibilities. Communities have expressed their concern that as much as alleged perpetrators are apprehended by our LEAP officers, it does not translate into convictions in the national justice system. In fact, not long after an arrest occur, the individuals are back on the street. This is a matter I will be discussing with the Western Cape Head of Public Prosecutions, as we have to ensure that suspects are speedily and fairly prosecuted. We need a fully functional justice system that works hand-in-hand with all law enforcement, including LEAP.”
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.
During the same period, LEAP officers have amongst others:
• Searched 41 078 persons,
• Searched 1 344 houses,
• Conducted 6 694 patrols in hotspot areas,
• Conducted 346 roadblocks and
• Searched 4 496 vehicles.
As LEAP officers work with a multitude of law enforcement agencies, they conducted 796 integrated operations with other City of Cape Town Law Enforcement Agencies and the South African Police Services (SAPS).
“As the WCG, we remain committed to ensuring that LEAP continues to work closely with other CoCT law enforcement agencies, SAPS, neighbourhood watches and Community Police Forums (CPF)s. I once again 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. We will continue being relentless in our pursuit of safer communities, as it is vital to us that our residents should live in improved and safer environments,” concluded MEC Reagen Allen.
Source: Government of South Africa