LEAP’s progress in Hanover Park since redeployment

The Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, welcomes the progress made since the redeployment of Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) law enforcement officers (LEOS), appointed through the Western Cape Safety Plan, into Hanover Park on Monday, 12 October 2020.

Between 12 October and 25 October 2020, the LEOs successfully conducted:

• 801 searches of persons;
• 17 vehicle check point operations;
• 23 house searches;
• 241 vehicle searches;
• 414 traffic related fines;
• 14 autonomous operations;
• 17 joint and integrated operations; and
• 10 arrests related to possession of drugs, intention to deal, possession of imitation firearms, malicious damage to property, robbery and domestic violence.

The LEOs are being redeployed into five established Area Based Teams (ABT) situated in Delft, Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Bishop Lavis, and Hanover Park which includes Philippi East. The LEOs will assist SAPS within these ABTs by acting as force-multipliers.

Minister Fritz said, “I welcome the redeployment of LEAP officers into ABTs and their progress since which has seen numerous arrests made, fines issued, searches and joint and integrated operations conducted. The ABTs have been identified through an evidence-driven and data-led approach which allow us to address crime where and when it happens, but also to implement programmes which will lead to behaviour change over the long-term, preventing violence and making our communities safer.”

Minister Fritz added “Going forward, my Department will be engaging with district and local municipalities on the establishment of ABTs in more rural communities to ensure that we address the safety needs of the province. It is important that we work closely with partners including municipalities to ensure that the Western Cape Safety Plan achieves its aim of halving the murder rate over the next ten years.”

Minister Fritz continued, “I wish to commend SAPS and the LEOs which are contributing significantly towards the stabilization of Hanover Park. Violence and gangsterism has no place in our society and we must not tolerate or condone it. I have called on residents to report known criminal elements who disrupt the safety of their community.”

Minister Fritz further continued, “The law enforcement effort will be closely linked with a comprehensive violence prevention component. Violence Prevention is about working together with all stakeholders including parents, schools, NGOs, faith based organisations and local government to ensure that we stop the violence plaguing our communities. We are working with young people to ensure that they have access opportunities and steer them away from violence, apathy and possible gang influence involvement. In the coming months we will work together with SAPS, LEAP and Law Enforcement to implement these integrated violence prevention interventions on a sustained basis.”