16 Firearms Confiscated

The Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers are continuing to make inroads into removing illegal firearms from communities. Between 31 July and 3 September, LEAP officers confiscated 16 firearms. During the same period, the officers also arrested 1 160 suspects for various crimes. LEAP, which stems from the Western Cape Safety Plan (WCSP) is an initiative of the Western Cape Government (WCG) in partnership with the City of Cape Town (CoCT).

The firearms confiscated are:

• 1x Homemade firearm in Kuilsriver,
• 1x Revolver and 1x Firearm in Manenberg,
• 1x Pistol and 2x Zip Guns in Mfuleni,
• 1x Zip Gun and 1x Pistol in Kraaifontein,
• 1x Firearm in Gugulethu,
• 1x Riffle in Harare,
• 1x Revolver and 1x Pistol in Delft,
• 2x Zip Guns in Samora Machel
• 1x Pistol in Nyanga
• 1x Firearm in Mitchells Plain

Since inception along with these firearms, our LEAP officers have now confiscated 443 illegal firearms.

Amongst others, the arrests included:

• 16 for the possession of illegal firearms (8) and zip guns (8),
• 13 for the possession of imitation firearms,
• 110 for the possession of dangerous weapons,
• 680 for the possession of drugs and
• 19 for dealing in drugs.

Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen, said: “We launched our LEAP officers in 2020 in an effort to tackle the drivers and causes of murders in the most violent areas across the metro. They work in extremely difficult circumstances. I thank them for never allowing the challenging task to sway them from fulfilling their duties, which amongst other is to assist us in creating safer communities in these hotspot areas.”

LEAP officers are strategically deployed, and their operations are based on evidence and data. 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.

LEAP officers work with a multitude of law enforcement agencies which is inclusive of other City of Cape Town Law Enforcement agencies, the South African Police Service (SAPS), neighbourhood watches (NHWs), Community Policing Forums (CPFs) and various other stakeholders.

“As the Western Cape Government, we will continue to support our LEAP officers, as through their interventions with various stakeholders, they are ensuring that we work towards our goal which is to halve the murder rate by 2029. Collaboration and cooperation across the board will stand us in good stead if we are to achieve our goal of creating communities where our residents can live in a safe, improved and dignified manner,” concluded Minister Reagen Allen.