Cape Town’s Gang-Related Crime Stats Rise, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis Concerned by 5% Conviction Rate
- Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis expressed concern about the conviction rate in dealing with the city's gang violence problem
- Gang violence-related crimes remain a huge problem in the city, with the official crime statistics painting a grim picture
- The Cape Town Mayor called for more policing powers to be given to the municipality in order to combat the problem
- Linda Jones, the Mitchell’s Plain Community Policing Forum's Public Relations Officer, spoke to Briefly News about the violence
Source: Getty Images
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
WESTERN CAPE – Gang violence continues to contribute to Cape Town’s rising crime levels, with officials concerned about the lack of convictions secured.
Speaking about the metro’s latest crime data, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis noted the ongoing violent crime and gang challenges, especially in specific police precincts. The mayor stated that while law enforcement agencies were working diligently to apprehend the perpetrators, the conviction rate in the metro remains concerning.
The statistics also revealed that Cape Town’s crime rate was leading the way nationally, as four of the top five police stations in the country with the highest number of contact crimes were located in Cape Town.
Hill-Lewis is concerned about the conviction rate
According to the metro’s latest crime statistics, the Western Cape experienced 282 gang-related murders and 710 firearm-related murders from April and June 2025.
Between July and September 2025, 293 gang-related murders and 700 firearm-related murders were reported. Things have not slowed down since, with 22 people were killed in one weekend alone in October 2025.
The mayor stated that while law enforcement agencies were working diligently to apprehend the perpetrators, the conviction rate was concerning.
"Our LEAP [Law Enforcement Advancement Plan] and Metro Police officers are incredibly successful in confiscating illegal firearms from the streets. But the tragedy is that only 5% of those cases result in convictions in the criminal justice system," he noted.
Hill-Lewis called on the government to grant more policing powers to the municipality to better combat gang violence. Acting Police Minister, Professor Firoz Cachalia, has visited the area and called on gangs to stop the violence.
He also indicated that the government would be implementing plans to deal with the situation.
Source: Getty Images
Calls made for the government to intervene
Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, Linda Jones, the Mitchell’s Plain Community Policing Forum's (CPF) Public Relations Officer, questioned when something would be done.
She noted that President Cyril Ramaphosa declared gender-based violence as a national crisis, questioning when a similar approach would be taken to the gang violence in the Cape.
“We are not at war, yet our people are dying as if we are at war. Daily, these killings are happening on the Cape Flats.
“When is this going to stop, and when will it be enough? That's our plea. That's our cry today. When is it going to stop?” she asked.
Presidency dismisses calls for State of Disaster
Briefly News reported that the Presidency has responded to calls for a State of Disaster to be declared in the Western Cape.
Calls have been made as gang violence escalates in the province, leading to the constant loss of lives.
The Democratic Alliance has accused the government of failing to provide sufficient resources to fight crime.
Source: Briefly News
