DA calls for policing reform following mass shootings

The DA’s Ian Cameron has expressed his outrage at the deaths from mass shootings. File Picture: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers

The DA’s Ian Cameron has expressed his outrage at the deaths from mass shootings. File Picture: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers

Published Oct 25, 2024

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The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) spokesperson on police, Ian Cameron has called for police reform following mass shootings in the country.

The latest in these harrowing incidents is the Bishop Lavis mass shooting which has left seven people dead.

This massacre took place on Thursday, October 25 on the Cape Flats.

“Western Cape police have reinforced deployments in the Bishop Lavis area following an incident where four men and two women were shot and killed on Thursday evening.

“Two other persons were wounded during the shooting incident,” said Western Cape police spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potelwa.

Cameron expressed his outrage at the deaths.

“These incidents are an indictment of our failing crime intelligence systems, and the South African Police Service (SAPS) response of merely deploying additional forces will not suffice.

“It is not sustainable, nor does it address the root of the crisis. Until SAPS crime intelligence functions at full capacity, we will continue to see this tragic loss of life on our streets,” he said.

He went on to say that the DA is convinced that sharing policing functions across national, provincial, and municipal authorities will alleviate pressure on both policing resources and the national budget in the long run.

“A national police force alone cannot meet the scale and specificity of the challenges we face.”

He stated that sharing policing functions would allow SAPS to better allocate resources.

“This approach would empower well-equipped local authorities to deliver region-specific policing solutions, improving response times in critical investigations and addressing endemic issues like gang violence in our communities.

“For instance, allowing metro police to conduct ballistic tests and other forensic services would expedite case processing, reduce delays, and alleviate the budget strain on SAPS,” said Cameron.

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