The Western Cape is on high alert for a possible outbreak of looting and violence in the province and has deployed police officers to possible hotspots to prevent a spread of the occurrences that are gripping KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
No incidents have so far been reported in the province despite fake news to the contrary.
Police officers working at police stations and those away from work on shifts have been called up and air support is providing additional surveillance. The Metro Police is also being used as well as 520 Leap (Law Enforcement Advancement Plan) officers who normally concentrate on violent crime. In total, about 8,500 officers are being deployed.
The officers are being deployed at shopping malls, business centres — particularly those close to dense communities — and the CBD, while traffic officers are patrolling the primary and secondary arterial routes that could be problematic. Roadblocks will also be mounted where necessary.
The provincial cabinet met on Tuesday to hear of the plans that have been drawn up to mitigate the risk of looting and violence which include the use of private security companies, neighbourhood watches, community police forums and farm watches.
Western Cape premier Alan Winde said the use of the military formed part of the province’s response but the main force would be the police. He said he was “very shocked” by the unacceptable looting and public violence that was happening in other provinces. He called for calm and said the province was very determined to prevent lawlessness, violence and looting.
MEC for community safety Albert Fritz said at a media briefing that he was “reassured by our collective ability to deal with any criminal protest action that may arise. Together with all our citizens we will ensure that the Western Cape remains a place of safety for all.
“We are almost carpeting wall-to-wall the province to make sure it is covered,” Fritz said.
Provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Thembisile Patekile also gave the assurance that “we are adequately ready to respond to whatever eventuality that may happen.” A major Makro outlet in Milnerton had closed on Tuesday he said as a precautionary measure for staff but would open for business again on Wednesday.
Winde expressed concern about the amount of fake news being generated, which stoked emotions and which Patekile said could lead to the useless deployment of valuable resources.
Winde said the representatives of political parties in the province would meet the speaker of the provincial legislature, Masizole Mnqasela, on Tuesday afternoon to discuss their role in promoting calm and to stand firm against what was happening in the rest of the country. A meeting had been held with business on Monday and one with faith-based organisations would take place on Friday.
On Wednesday an extended cabinet, including municipal representatives, would also be held.
Winde noted that the focus on preventing looting and violence was happening at the same time as the Western Cape was entering the peak of its third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic with more than 2,500 people in hospital with Covid-19.
The province is also having to deal with ongoing taxi violence, which has resulted in 76 murders, 44 attempted murders and 49 other taxi-related crimes since the beginning of 2021, MEC for transport and public works Daylin Mitchell said. A proposed plan to close contested taxi routes had been gazetted for public comment.
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