DA Mayors Submit Memorandum Demanding Devolution of Policing Powers
Viable News Team 
Image Credit: Cape Town Green Map
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has announced that all Western Cape DA mayors will sign and submit a memorandum to the Ministers of Police and Justice, demanding urgent reforms to devolve policing powers to capable municipalities.
According to Lisa Schickerling MP, DA spokesperson, the memorandum is a decisive step to address the province’s spiralling violent crime crisis and ongoing taxi violence that continues to destabilise communities and the local economy.
“This week alone, over 37 lives have been brutally taken. We cannot allow this crisis to continue unchecked. It is time for a united front to tackle crime with the urgency and seriousness it demands,” Schickerling said.
A Call for Local Control of Policing
The DA reiterated its long-standing demand for the devolution of policing powers to the provincial and municipal levels, arguing that this would allow for:
- Greater management control and deployment strategies.
- Strengthened detective and investigative capacity.
- Improved docket quality through professional legal support at police stations.
Evidence from DA-led interventions in the Western Cape has already shown that when skilled legal professionals are placed at police stations to assist with drafting statements and investigations, the quality of case dockets improves significantly.
Shift in National Attitude
The DA noted that Acting Minister of Police, Yusuf Cassim Cachalia, has shown openness to dialogue in contrast to former Minister Bheki Cele, who once declared that devolution of policing would happen “over my dead body.”
“The Acting Minister has made it clear that the door must remain open and conversations must continue. This represents a much-needed change in attitude,” Schickerling said.
Deadline Demanded
The memorandum calls on Minister Cachalia to set out a clear deadline by which he will respond and outline concrete steps to expedite devolution of policing powers to the Western Cape and other capable municipalities.
“The DA will not stand by while crime destroys lives and futures. Our demand is simple: empower municipalities with the authority, resources, and policing powers necessary to make our communities safer,” Schickerling concluded.
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