By Lebone Rodah Mosima
Police minister Firoz Cachalia and Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis on Friday announced that Mfuleni is to receive a temporary police station, and that space has been allocated to build a permanent station.
The decision follows a meeting on Thursday between Cachalia and Hill-Lewis, part of ongoing engagements with local government to tackle rising crime rates.
Earlier this week, Cachalia held community discussions in Mitchells Plain and Mfuleni, where residents voiced concerns over inadequate policing resources.
In Mfuleni, the lack of a dedicated police station was a central issue, with the nearest facility in Blue Downs unable to meet the area’s growing safety and service demands.
In the province’s third-quarter crime statistics for 2023/24, Mfuleni was ranked as top for murder and rape, while nationally, it was ranked second for murder and first for rape.
Hill-Lewis committed to providing 380 square metres of office space in Mfuleni’s municipal building to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for use as an interim police station.
Additionally, the mayor offered an adjacent plot for the future development of a permanent, fully-fledged police station.
“I commend the Mayor and the City of Cape Town for this demonstration of cooperative governance in action. It is through such practical and responsive partnerships that we will begin to rebuild trust between communities and law enforcement. The fight against crime requires urgency, coordination, and accountability. Most importantly, it requires that we listen to communities and act on the concerns they raise. Yesterday’s outcome reflects our shared commitment to doing exactly that,” said Cachalia.
Hill-Lewis emphasised the urgency of the initiative, saying: “The City gladly offers urgent help for the SAPS to establish a fully-fledged police station in Mfuleni. This is a very hard hit area and crime must urgently be brought under control to make the community safer for residents.
“Working together, the City and the SAPS can be a far greater force in the fight against crime. The regional Department of Public Works and the City will now settle a lease agreement for the Mfuleni site, with the SAPS only needing to cover water and lights. Access will be arranged as soon as possible for the SAPS to occupy the space.”
INSIDE METROS