Robert Sobukwe Road on the Cape Flats has seemingly become a hotbed for criminal activity, with reports of attempted hijackings and smash-and-grab incidents making the rounds on social media. While Jakes Gerwel Drive between the Langa informal settlement and Bonteheuwel is commonly associated with crimes of this nature, with police presence on the increase, it appears criminals are finding new areas of opportunity. To discuss the apparent increase of criminal activity on the stretch of road, formally known as Modderdam Road, VOC News spoke to mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith.
Smith says that while the South African Police Service (SAPS) remains the primary crime fighting agency that is responsible for crime prevention in the City, the City’s Metro Police has worked to combat smash-and-grab incidents at various intersections in the City, including the intersection of Robert Sobukwe and Borcherds Quarry Roads.
“The City’s Metro Police has done much at hotspots like this and intersections along Jakes Gerwel intersecting with the R300 and at Bluegum, between Langa and Bonteheuwel, where we have made numerous arrests for smash-and-grab incidents.”
Smith says a new camera has been installed, enabling the CCTV centre of the City of Cape Town to monitor the hot spot.
“Langa’s arrests have shown a repeated record of arrests with Metro Police at the incidents between Langa and Bonteheuwel and SAPS arrests even involved some of our officers being attacked by the Robbers when they pursued them in-between the informal structures.”
Given continued reports of smash-and-grab incidents at Langa-Bonteheuwel hotspots, he affirms that Metro Police will continue to monitor the area.
Commenting on recent attempted hijackings and smash-grab incidents at the Robert Sobukwe and Valhalla Park Drive intersection, Smith says that it is possible that criminals who previously operated at the intersection on Jakes Gerwel Drive, have now been displaced.
“It may be that the work of Metro Police and SAPS, at the intersection of Blue Gum and Jakkelsvlei and Jakes Gerwel between Bonteheuwel and Langa, have displaced the crime activity from there. The same individuals have moved there target elsewhere, because it is too risky for them to attack motorists on Jakes Gerwel.
“It is more likely different individuals who are following the same crime pattern and are targeting motorists at an intersection where they can readily escape.”
Given the Copyright Act and the protection of individuals, once a crime is committed at these hotspots, upon request from an investigating officer, Smith says footage from CCTV footage will be forwarded for inspection.
In addition, in terms of the Access of Information Act, the City will entertain any request that is reasonably motivated by any individual requiring information from CCTV footage.
“Whilst we expect that SAPS will do what is necessary, considering their resources – they are 34 times larger than Metro Police – the City will use the cameras and respond through our camera response unit as best we can.”
He further urges members of the public to remain vigilant when approaching intersections that are notorious for criminal activity.
“There is something important that the public can do and that is to make sure that they don’t have valuable on the seat next to them…valuables are stowed under the seat or in the boot where they are not visible – if there are no valuables visible, then there is no attack.”
Commenting on the smash-and-grab and hijacking incident statistics, Smith says that unfortunately one the biggest problem that Metro Police faces in its fight against crime, is the fact that it does not have real time access to crime statistics, with the oldest part of the stats, once received, being 18-months-old.
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