Covid-19 curfew brings no change in rate of Western Cape murders

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Cape Town - The Western Cape Health’s Emergency Medical Services noted a slight decrease in the usual incidents over the weekend. EMS spokesperson Deanna Bessick said they responded to a total of 5022 incidents, including 111 in red zone areas and 148 transport-related incidents across the Western Cape over the weekend. “The majority of the red zone area incidents occurred in the Mitchells Plain area in Beacon Valley and Tafelsig. There was slight decrease in general incidents compared to last weekend’s 5265 incidents,” Bessick said. However, Premier Alan Winde said the province has not seen any significant change in the numbers of murders at the weekend as compared to the previous one. Winde said he noted that many establishments continued to operate in contravention of the new regulations and law enforcement operations had to be conducted across the City to ensure compliance.

Councillor Angus McKenzie, from gang-ridden Bonteheuwel, said the community has seen a consistent drop in crime over the weekend due to high levels of police visibility.

McKenzie said what has greatly assisted them in fighting crime in Bonteheuwel as well as responding to illegal gatherings of people with regard to regulations in terms of coronavirus has been the increase in tip-offs on their triangle project.

“The real success for reduced crime in Bonteheuwel boiled down to two main factors, visible policing by law enforcement and community members trusting us by passing on critically important information,” McKenzie said.

Safety and Security mayco member JP Smith said metro police made 33 arrests on a range of charges including murder, attempted murder, drug dealing, resisting arrest and drunk driving over the past week including the weekend. He said officers also issued 1553 fines for various by-law and traffic contraventions.

Smith said on the roads, the City traffic officers arrested 50 suspects for driving under the influence of alcohol, impounded 125 vehicles, confiscated 146 cellphones and issued 50 060 fines for various offences. “The City’s Law Enforcement department made a further 20 arrests."

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