LEAP removes more than 1 000 illegal firearms from Cape Town streets

More than 13 000 rounds of ammunition have also been recovered, while 1 133 suspects have been arrested in connection with illegal firearm confiscations since the programme began in 2020, ***Cape {town} Etc ***reports.

More than 1 000 illegal firearms have been taken off Cape Town’s streets since the launch of the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP), marking a significant milestone in the city’s ongoing efforts to tackle gang violence and gun-related crime.

The recoveries include handguns, revolvers and semi-automatic rifles, among them AK-47 assault rifles. Officers have also seized thousands of rounds of ammunition, potentially preventing weapons from being used in further violent incidents.

According to the City of Cape Town, LEAP officers have confiscated 1 003 illegal firearms and 13 362 rounds of ammunition, while making 1 133 arrests linked to the recoveries. The figures reflect the work of a programme established to strengthen law enforcement in some of Cape Town’s most crime-affected communities.

Delft has recorded the highest number of firearm confiscations, with the area’s LEAP reaction unit responsible for the largest share of recoveries. The milestone also highlights the scale of the challenge facing communities where illegal firearms remain a major concern.

LEAP is a joint initiative between the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government. Its first officers were deployed in February 2020, with the programme growing to more than 1 000 officers operating in high-crime areas.

The teams work alongside the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the City’s Metro Police Department, adding to the law enforcement presence in neighbourhoods affected by violent crime.

The firearm recoveries are also separate from weapons confiscated by other City enforcement agencies, including Metro Police, Traffic Services and specialised and area-based Law Enforcement units.

Calls for more convictions after arrests

While the number of weapons recovered represents a substantial operational milestone, City officials say the criminal justice process remains an important part of the bigger picture.

Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, congratulated officers for their work but raised concerns about whether arrests and confiscations are translating into successful prosecutions and convictions. Smith pointed to a recent bail decision involving suspects allegedly found in Nyanga with four rifles, a handgun and 350 rounds of ammunition.

He described the decision to grant bail as a blow to officers’ morale, particularly those who risk their lives while carrying out operations.

‘One can only hope that their efforts will not be in vain, and that the rate of convictions will increase to mirror the work happening on the ground.’

– Alderman JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security.

Smith added that officers needed to see the results of their work reflected in the criminal justice system.

Western Cape Government backs continued investment

Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, also welcomed the achievement, saying the programme had strengthened policing capacity in communities facing high levels of violent crime. Marais credited the additional officers with providing support at a time when SAPS faces significant resource constraints and growing policing demands.

She also acknowledged the City‘s role in managing the programme’s day-to-day operations and ensuring that the investment results in a visible law enforcement presence.

The latest figures offer a measure of the work being done to remove illegal weapons from circulation. However, the longer-term impact will also depend on whether those arrested are successfully prosecuted and whether communities begin to see a sustained reduction in gun violence.

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**Picture: **Ricardo Martínez González / Pexels

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