Statement by the Executive Mayor of Cape Town,
Alderman Patricia de Lille
Mayor condemns police killings
I am deeply saddened by the spate of police killings in the City in recent
weeks. The killing of one police officer is a general attack on law and
order in our society and needs to be condemned by all law abiding
residents of the city.
Last night’s incident in which a police officer was murdered at his home in
Mitchells Plain is a clear indication that criminals are targeting law
enforcement and police officers throughout the city.
We must all do everything we can to ensure that we can build safer
communities. I appeal to anyone with information that could assist the
police to arrest those individuals behind these attacks.
It is totally unacceptable that the men and women who go beyond the call
of duty to keep our streets safe are victims of senseless crimes in their
own communities.
If left unchecked police killings threaten to reverse the progress all law
enforcement agencies are making in fighting crime in the City. It is
therefore critical that at this time that all law enforcement agencies work
together to defeat the unlawful actions of these criminal elements.
The City of Cape Town law enforcement officers and Metro Police will
continue to do everything we can to assist the South African Police
Services to fulfil their primary constitutional function of fighting crime.
To this end, I have also instructed the Executive Director of Safety and
Security, Richard Bosman, to liaise with the SAPS about the prospect of a
reward for anyone with information that could lead to the arrest and
prosecution of the perpetrators behind these callous acts.