Cape Town - The Bishop Lavis Community Policing Forum has raised concerns about the escalation of smash and grabs on Jakes Gerwel Drive and robberies on and around Robert Sobukwe Drive, and near the Lavis CBD.
The forum said this was aggravated by the City's halting of the funding for volunteers that were deployed on Jakes Gerwel, Pink Flats on Robert Sobukwe, 35th Avenue and Lavis Drive as well as Lavis CBD.
CPF chairperson Graham Lindhorst said he recently “stumbled” across two smash and grab incidents of two women on Jakes Gerwel at the weekend, adding that there were more cases which he believed were not reported.
“I came to know about it only because I saw the one vehicle when the driver opened a case at Lavis SAPS and the other one I came to know about as that person is known to us as a family.
’This is concerning because we don't know how many others were smashed and grabbed that we are not immediately aware of. I'm disappointed at the City of Cape Town for failing to ensure that such a successful programme is maintained.
“I'm sure the cost of crime is way more than the cost to keep those ambassadors deployed in these areas. It is a shame for any person or political party to play cheap politics out of people's trauma caused by crime. I hope the City will do the right thing for the Bishop Lavis precinct if they are a caring City,” he said.
Bonteheuwel ward councillor Angus McKenzie said volunteers and Neighbourhood Watch members have continued to patrol on the Jakes Gerwel intersection. McKenzie said Lindhorst’s comments were deeply disingenuous and hugely concerning.
“As the CPF chairperson it is his job to hold SAPS accountable and the question begs if he has done that. Smash and grabbing is a criminal offence not a by-law infringement; chow many arrests has SAPS made regarding smash and grabbing and how many prosecutions have been successful? Little to none.
“I would strongly suggest that he refers his complaint to his weekly meeting with SAPS and ensure that they deploy police officers to deal with this criminal activity. You cannot expect unarmed volunteers to do the job of SAPS against armed criminals. Lindhorst needs to get this right since he has been a CPF Chair for a long time,” said McKenzie.
McKenzie said Lindhorst’s job was not to play politics but rather to hold police to account which he said he continued to fail to do.
The City said it was in the process of preparing for the recruitment and selection of Community Ambassadors for the next financial year through the Expanded Public Works Programme in consultation with the local Sub-council.
“The available funding for the deployment of Community Ambassadors was fully allocated by the end of June 2021, as the tender to appoint the service provider that was used for the recruitment, selection and management of the Community Ambassadors reached its cap. It is anticipated that the Community Ambassadors project will continue in the coming months,” the City said.
It also said it was currently endeavouring to have local Neighbourhood Watch members volunteer their time as an interim measure.