DA criticises ANC's handling of Western Cape's escalating crime crisis

The DA has criticised the national government’s continued failure to adequately fund and resource policing efforts in South Africa.

From April to June 2025, the Western Cape recorded an 65,772 community-reported serious crimes and 1,148 murders, reflecting a grim reality where public trust in law enforcement is rapidly eroding. Mfuleni has emerged as one of the most dangerous areas, ranking second nationally with 72 murders—a shocking 24.1% increase from the previous year. Other areas followed suit, with Delft recording 70 murders, Nyanga with 58, and Gugulethu seeing a worrying 30.2% rise, totalling 56 murders. This alarming trend continues into the following quarter, with 68,180 serious crimes and 1,160 murders reported, an increase of 9.1% from the same period in 2024.

The DA attributes these rising crime figures directly to the systemic under-resourcing and mismanagement by the South African Police Service (SAPS), which they argue has failed the residents of the Western Cape. “This is the direct outcome of a SAPS that is under-resourced, mismanaged, and centrally controlled by an ANC government that has abandoned the people of this province. The DA will not remain silent while the ANC's policing failures continue to cost lives,” said Benedicta van Minnen, DA Western Cape’s spokesperson on Police Oversight and Community Safety.

The grim statistics paint a vivid picture of a province struggling to maintain public safety. For instance, 710 murders were committed with firearms, illustrating significant failures in firearm control and intelligence systems. In regions such as Mfuleni, Kraaifontein, and Delft, gang-related violence is rampant, with 293 murders confirmed as gang-related.

The DA is now calling for urgent intervention from the Minister of Police to reassess SAPS leadership in the Western Cape.