Western Cape Premier Alan Winde welcomes appointment of new Western Cape SAPS Commissioner

Premier Alan Winde and Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, have welcomed the appointment of Lieutenant General Sizakhele Dyantyi as the new South African Police Service (SAPS) Provincial Commissioner.

The Premier has reiterated his commitment to deepening a constructive working relationship with Lt Gnl Dyantyi in the interests of the province's residents.

"Our residents deserve and desperately need a police service that is properly resourced, intelligence-led and capable of effectively combating and preventing violent crime," he stated.

Premier Winde has expressed his deep concern over ongoing violent crime affecting far too many communities. "Deadly shootings are becoming the norm. This will not be tolerated. This past weekend, I joined Neighbourhood Watch, SAPS and Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) members on a safety walkabout in Phillipi East. Every resident I engaged with said the same thing: We have had enough of criminals!"

But improved collaboration alone will not succeed in reducing crime. It must be accompanied by meaningful improvements in police capacity.

"The Western Cape continues to face unacceptably high levels of violent crime. Addressing this crisis requires significantly greater investment in frontline policing resources, modern investigative capabilities, and intelligence-gathering. Without these critical building blocks, it will remain difficult to dismantle organised criminal networks," the Premier stressed.

Minister Marais added, "I welcome the appointment of Lt Gnl Dyantyi as the new Provincial Police Commissioner. He is certainly not a stranger to my office as we worked closely together in addressing numerous challenges in his capacity as the West Coast District Commissioner. He has firsthand knowledge of the unique crime challenges facing the Western Cape and understands the importance of partnerships. His appointment presents an important opportunity to embrace new ways of strengthening policing in the province with a strong focus on the proper resourcing of police stations and tackling gang and organised crime. I look forward to my renewed partnership with the provincial management of SAPS under his leadership."

The Premier reiterated the Western Cape Government's longstanding call for the national government to allocate policing resources more equitably, ensuring that provinces and communities with the highest crime burdens receive the personnel and operational support they require.

Premier Winde said the Western Cape Government stands ready to continue supporting SAPS through its own safety initiatives, including investments in law enforcement, technology, data-driven crime prevention and partnerships with municipalities and neighbourhood safety structures.

Enquiries:

Regan Thaw

Media Liaison Officer to the Premier

Mobile number: 083 627 7246

Email: [email protected]

#GovZAUpdates