The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Cape Town strongly condemns the terrible events that occurred in Atlantis earlier this week. Three people were killed in Atlantis over the last two days as a result of a gang war that broke out in the area.
The DA appreciates the City’s quick response. City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, has approached the MEC for Community Safety, Albert Fritz, and they have consulted the senior officials in both the provincial government and the city.
They are currently investigating the urgent redeployment of some Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers from other areas to help stabilize the situation in Atlantis in the short term, as per the operational protocol for LEAP.
The LEAP programme has proven to be very effective in crime-ridden areas across the City, and the DA is confident that this redeployment will bring stability to the community of Atlantis.
We call on SAPS to resolve the ongoing internal conflict at the Atlantis Police Station and to ensure that adequate officers are on duty at all times given that the area is a hotspot for gang-related violence.
We also wish to send our deepest condolences to the families affected by these awful events. May they find peace in this difficult time.