Cape Town’s Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced a new initiative to tackle the growing threats of theft, vandalism, and extortion. The city will be deploying a specialized unit aimed at safeguarding city facilities and frontline staff from criminal activities.
The Need for the Initiative
The rise in criminal activities has led to infrastructure damage worth R60 million in 2022/23, primarily due to escalating Eskom blackouts. The situation has become worse, with local syndicates demanding “protection fees” and posing extortion threats to staff and contractors.
The Plan
The program will be spearheaded by 81 Law Enforcement Facility Protection Officers (FPOs) and 200 Facility Protection Monitors. The FPOs will be working in close collaboration with various law enforcement agencies to inspect city facilities and provide necessary protection to frontline staff. The Facility Protection Monitors recruited through the Expanded Public Works Programme will be stationed at specific facilities to enhance staff safety and security.
The Budget
The Facilities Protection Officer initiative has been allocated a budget of R112 million over three years. The city hopes the investment will be recovered through the reduction in vandalism and theft of critical infrastructure.
Intelligence-Based Deployment
The initiative will be intelligence-based and will focus on areas with high crime rates. The blueprint for the program has already been established following a successful pilot project conducted in two areas that experienced nearly R800,000 in damage within six months. A year after the FPO pilot was implemented, incidents of vandalism and theft were significantly reduced to less than R80,000.
Community Collaboration
Collaboration between stakeholders and local communities is crucial to the success of the initiative. Facility Protection Officers are expected to maintain regular communication with community structures, ensuring that the initiative’s deployment areas have valuable insights.
Public Involvement
The public can contribute to the initiative by using the toll-free tip-off line (0800 1100 77) and providing anonymous information. The Rewards for Information Committee considers reward applications upon a successful arrest or confiscation. However, rewards are not available to individuals under 18 years of age.
The Facility Protection initiative, launched in Leonsdale, Elsies River, aims to create a safer environment for both city staff and residents. The city hopes that the program will help reclaim neighborhoods from criminals and ensure a better future for all.
