Police Oversight and Community Safety

There are Multi-Stakeholder Crime Strategy in place, specifically in the broader

            Mitchells Plain area, as well as in certain towns in the West Coast District.

In the broader Mitchells Plain area, the development of safety strategies and stakeholder engagement is led by the Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety (POCS).

One of the focus areas of the safety strategy is school and learner safety. Following the first meeting on 8 July 2025 there was a request for a safety intervention in preparation for the reopening of schools on 22 July 2025. In response, POCS convened a follow-up engagement with the WCED District Director for Mitchells Plain schools, Community Policing Forum (CPF), and South African Police Service (SAPS) to plan immediate interventions for the first day and week of the school term, involving NHW structures and SAPS members.

The SAPS, together with NHW and Community in Blue (CIB) structures, maintained visibility around the identified schools with the aim of ensuring the safety of learners on their way to and from school. A total of eight (8) accredited NHW structures participated in the School and Learner Safety Project. NHW members reported that during certain patrols, they accompanied school learners along their walking routes and, where appropriate, handed them over to members of another NHW structure to continue the escort. The NHW groups shared on their WhatsApp platforms the appreciation and thanks received from parents, and they continue to maintain visibility and support learner safety in the Mitchells Plain precinct.

In the West Coast District, CPFs in Malmesbury, Laaiplek, Darling, and St Helena Bay have incorporated school safety into their respective community safety plans. In Malmesbury and Laaiplek, multiple safety stakeholders, including the SAPS, the Swartland K9 Unit, the CPF, and NHW structures, collaborate on various school safety initiatives. SAPS conducts school searches and provides support for broader safety interventions. These collaborative stakeholders also implement school safety awareness programmes, conduct patrols around school premises and convene school safety meetings. In St Helena Bay, NHW members additionally assist by escorting crèche children to local school events, as required.

At a systemic level, in accordance with the Western Cape Uniform Constitution for Community Police Forums and Boards (WCUCCPFB 03/2024), all Community Police Forums (CPFs) are mandated to engage in multi-stakeholder collaborations. Challenges do arise; these are escalated and addressed at Sub-District or District Board level through appropriate interventions. Furthermore, the City of Cape Town District Board is currently in the process of developing its Community Safety Plan. It is anticipated that the revised plan will include a strong and deliberate focus on youth empowerment, which is expected to yield positive downstream impacts on school safety.