After Seven Killed in Cape Town, DA Pushes for More Policing Powers for Metro Cops

Cape Town is once again in mourning after a series of shootings on Wednesday claimed seven lives across the city reigniting political pressure on government to strengthen metro policing powers.

A Bloody Day In The Mother City

The violence erupted in several neighbourhoods, each incident adding to the growing sense of fear and frustration among residents.
Two people were gunned down in a mass shooting at the Nyanga taxi rank, three others were found dead in Montclair, and reports suggest there were additional fatal shootings in Heideveld and Manenberg both long known hotspots for gang-related activity.

These killings are not isolated. They form part of a grim trend that has left many communities trapped between turf wars, extortion battles, and a policing system struggling to keep up.

DA Calls For Stronger Local Policing Powers

Reacting to the day’s events, Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesperson and chairperson of Parliament’s police portfolio committee, Ian Cameron, renewed the party’s call for the City of Cape Town’s metro police to be given broader investigative powers.

“Why would they not allow the City’s metro police to start investigating gang-related gun offences?” Cameron asked. “Much of the violence we’re seeing is tied to organised crime extortion, taxi conflicts, and gang wars. The metro police could play a vital role in tackling this.”

Currently, metro police officers focus on bylaw enforcement, traffic control, and supporting SAPS operations. The DA argues that empowering them to directly investigate serious crimes would relieve pressure on the overburdened national police service.

A Decade After The Khayelitsha Commission

Cameron also referenced the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry, established over a decade ago to address systemic policing failures in the city’s most violent communities.
“It’s been more than 10 years since the Commission, and SAPS still has little to show in terms of real, long-term progress against violent crime,” he said.

The DA maintains that decentralising policing powers allowing metros like Cape Town to manage their own crime investigations would be a step toward more accountable and efficient law enforcement.

Public Frustration And Calls For Change

On social media, many Cape Town residents expressed anger and exhaustion. “We’re tired of hearing about new shootings every week,” one user posted on X. “If national police can’t protect us, let the City take over.”

Community safety groups have echoed these frustrations, saying residents in areas like Nyanga, Manenberg, and Delft have lived under a cloud of fear for years, with little sign of lasting intervention.

A City Caught Between Politics And Policing

The debate over policing powers is as political as it is practical. While the DA-led City of Cape Town has long lobbied for greater autonomy, the national government led by the ANC has been hesitant to decentralise control of law enforcement.

For now, Cape Town remains caught in a loop of violence, bureaucracy, and blame.
Seven more families are grieving. And for many residents, the question lingers: How many more lives must be lost before something truly changes?

{Source:EWN}

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