Cape Town - The South African Police Service (SAPS) has denied receiving an offer of two-way radios from the City.
This follows a joint statement written by Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Safety and Security Mayco member Alderman JP Smith a week ago.
In the document it said that the mayor cited concerns with the under-resourcing of SAPS, and particularly the lack of basic equipment such as radios for Cape Town’s Anti-Gang Unit.
“Think what it means to respond to a live fire situation in the middle of gang warfare, and not even be able to speak on radio to your colleagues in the next street or even in the next house.
“It is amazing to me that this is not a national scandal,” Hill-Lewis explained.
“We have 19 radios we can immediately avail to this critical SAPS unit, and the City will be in a position to make a further 500 radios available to other SAPS units in the near future. The City’s own Gang & Drug Task Team have been equipped with all the tech they need, as have all our other policing units, but without proper policing powers we are forever fighting an uphill battle here.”
Smith added that they had made hundreds of radios earlier this year.
“The Safety & Security Directorate of the City offered the South African Police Service the use of 500 hand radios in January 2024 when we became aware of the challenges they were experiencing with the radio network and we are keen to be of assistance to SAPS as they are the lead agency in the fight against crime and our valuable partners in crime prevention - their successes are our successes.”
In January 10111 was disconnected for about a week.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said: “As a matter of urgency the SAPS in the Western Cape has sourced specialised parts that are meant to bolster the communication system in order to function optimally, thereby improving service delivery.
“It is envisaged that the replacement parts will be on site soon resulting in the communication system upgrade that will progressively enhance the system’s output for a longer term.”
For months the AGU officers had to rely on their cellphones to communicate with each other.
But Potelwa said they received a new batch of radios.
“The City of Cape Town has not offered radios to SAPS.
“We can confirm the police don’t need radios. Donations would have to go through processes.”
Smith said he had a number of conversations with Provincial Commissioner Thembisile Patekile about the radios.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za
Cape Argus