Mayor Hill‑Lewis says City to build its own policing capacity stronger than SAPS

Speaking as the DA’s mayoral candidate for the upcoming local government elections, Hill-Lewis said: “We refuse to accept that crime is just part of life,” adding that SAPS is “failing too many communities”, is “under-resourced, badly led” and that some officers are involved in “corrupt relationships with gangs”.

WATCH | Cape Town Mayor and DA Leader Geordin Hill-Lewis says Western Cape police have a bad record with gangs and in order to take Cape Town forward, they will establish their own metro police detective unit. pic.twitter.com/DWCRo2iI3Q

— SABC News (@SABCNews) June 13, 2026

He said the city would push for greater policing powers and establish a Metro Police Detective Unit to investigate cases independently. “We cannot wait for Saps to beat crime. The only way we will live without fear is if we build our own policing capacity,” he said.

Hill-Lewis also highlighted Cape Town’s economic performance, claiming the city created 480,000 jobs during the DA’s first term, compared with 70,000 in Johannesburg over the same period.

🧵[THREAD] The DA’s Cape Town Mayoral Candidate, Geordin Hill-Lewis, has unveiled his plan to take Cape Town Forward for All:

🚔 Stronger policing
💼 More jobs
💧 Reliable, affordable services
🏡 More affordable homes
🧹 Cleaner public spaces

A clear plan to keep Cape Town… pic.twitter.com/GyWXm90Y7k

— DA Western Cape (@WesternCapeDA) June 13, 2026

“For every one job created in Joburg, nearly seven new jobs are created in Cape Town,” he said, attributing this to policies that encourage investment and reduce red tape.

On infrastructure, he pledged continued investment in essential services and said the city would further reduce its dependence on Eskom by purchasing more electricity from independent power producers. “We will pass those savings on to residents,” he said.