Police statistics reveal crime challenges in Cape Town - gang activity a common thread

In a sobering assessment of safety in Cape Town, the latest crime statistics indicate that violent crime remains a significant issue, disproportionately affecting the city’s most vulnerable communities. Gang activity, a common thread in the precincts topping national murder statistics, has caught the attention of local officials, sparking calls for urgent reform and enhanced policing.

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis expressed concern over the alarming figures, noting that despite consecutive declines in murder rates in some areas, namely Nyanga, Philippi East, and Khayelitsha, violent crime continues to undermine community safety. “These latest crime stats make it clear that violent crime continues to plague some of our most vulnerable communities,” Hill-Lewis remarked, accentuating the importance of targeted police intervention in gang-ridden areas.

Despite the well-documented challenges, the data does offer a sliver of hope. The City has reported significant police activity in confiscating illegal firearms and drugs, a direct reflection of the efforts by the City’s enforcement agencies. More than 450 firearms are being taken off the streets annually, but the grim reality is these actions are not leading to convictions—only a meagre 5% of cases see successful prosecution. The mayor attributed this stark statistic to a “broken criminal justice system” and an under-resourced South African Police Service (SAPS) and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Hill-Lewis urged Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to take swift action to rectify these issues. “The Acting Police Minister has the power to change this situation in various ways,” he suggested. “That includes urgent resourcing of SAPS and expanding the draft municipal policing power regulations issued for public comment earlier this year.” Hill-Lewis believes that with the right support, the City's officers could more effectively build prosecution-ready case dockets tackling gang, gun, and drug crimes.

Highlighting the City’s proactive stance, recent data shows a notable uptick in policing resources since 2021. The City has added 1,263 officers, marking a 48% increase, while SAPS has seen a decline of approximately 1,300 officers, equating to a 15% drop. Moreover, the City boasts 560 more policing vehicles compared to SAPS, indicating a clear shift in the landscape of law enforcement in Cape Town.

JP Smith, the Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, reinforced the City’s commitment to enhancing community safety, citing the deployment of LEAP officers and newly-appointed Metro Police Neighbourhood Safety Officers (NSOs). “Our statistics show that over a three-month period the NSOs have made a significant number of drug-related arrests,” Smith stated, but lamented that the low conviction rates are the significant hurdle. “We believe that the City enforcement agencies can assist SAPS in dismantling the gang violence prevailing in our communities.”

However, the strain on SAPS is palpable, with vacancy rates soaring between 20-40% across various Cape Town precincts, including a worrying statistic of 200 vacant detective posts as of August 2025. In light of these statistics, the City remains resolute in supporting SAPS, but highlights that greater cooperation and an overhaul of the criminal justice system is imperative for progress.