Western Cape to launch 24/7 shift operation to tackle violence hotspots, says Fritz

Cape Town – The Western Cape government will launch an operation involving a 24-hour, seven-day shift, in violence hotspot areas, as from July 1, according to Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz.

This operation is intended to increase visibility 24 hours a day and will involve up to 90 Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (Leap) officers per area.

Fritz was speaking in the legislature, where he was answering MPL Ferlon Christians (ACDP), who had asked whether there were measures in place to bring an end to the type of violence witnessed during the recent shootings and killings in Steenberg, Lavender Hill and Sea Winds.

Fritz said: “The provincial response has now been formally adopted by the provincial joint operations committees (JOCS) and there is a task team that has been assigned to develop a comprehensive implementation plan.

“We are also rolling out an action unit of 40 Leap members to deal specifically with the kinds of flare ups referred to in the question, in areas where violence and murder patterns indicate there is necessity, even if it is not a designated hotspot area,” added Fritz.

Social Development MEC Sharna Fernandez said the protection of children with disabilities is of paramount importance to her department, which provides funding to 10 ECDs, rendering specialised services to children with disabilities.

“The ECDs focus on capacity training to practitioners, parents and children, using an unbiased approach in the management of children with disabilities.

“Although, day-care centres for the disabled persons and ECD remained closed because of Covid-19, we continued to provide these facilities with funding. Funding was used for the salaries of their staff and 70% of the ECD used the funding to feed more than 50 000 vulnerable children across the province,” said Fernandez.

Fernandez was replying to a question by MPL Gillion Bosman (DA), who had wanted to know how many ECD centres – catering for special needs – the department supports.

Meanwhile, Transport and Public Works MEC Daylin Mitchell said there was no system in place to determine the exact cost of repairs to roads damaged due to protest action.

“This is done as part of the normal routine maintenance action, which happens on a daily basis,” said Mitchell.

Responding to Mitchell’s comment, MPL Lulama Mvimbi (ANC) said he was grateful the subject had come up, but hoped that the largest portion of the blame would be apportioned to those behind the non-delivery of services.

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Cape Argus