The law enforcement agencies’ operation targeted outlets selling and distributing counterfeit goods within the province.

The multidisciplinary team – comprising members of the Western Cape Essential Infrastructure Task Team, the National Counterfeit Unit, Public Order Policing (POPS) Western Cape, the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS), Customs officials and Brand Protectors – conducted inspections at identified business premises in Bellville last week, where suspected counterfeit goods were being sold.

During the operation, a large consignment of counterfeit clothing, footwear and accessories, bearing the trademarks of well-known international brands, was seized. The total estimated value of the confiscated goods is approximately R8 million.

While no arrests were effected during the operation, investigations are continuing to trace the supply network and determine the origin of the illicit goods.

The Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General (Adv.) Thembisile Patekile, commended the collaborative effort, emphasising that the sale of counterfeit products undermines legitimate business operations, deprives the State of revenue, and often supports organised criminal networks.

“The SAPS will continue to work closely with enforcement agencies and brand representatives to remove counterfeit products from circulation and to protect the rights of consumers and legitimate traders,” said Patekile.

Members of the public are urged to report the sale of suspected counterfeit goods to their nearest police station or through the SAPS Crime Stop number — 08600 10111.

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DA Members of Parliament Advocate Glynnis Breytenbach and Ian Cameron said recent reports show criminals are increasingly using online platforms and covert couriers to move illegal firearms into the Western Cape. “This exposes a major weakness in South Africa’s policing. Despite identifying the proliferation of illegal guns and the need for secure cyberspace as top priorities in its Strategic Plan, SAPS has not yet fully intercepted the digital networks driving organised crime.”

The DA proposes a Cyber Commissioner to provide government and the private sector with the tools and expertise needed to tackle cyber-enabled crime. It would act as a central hub to monitor online threats, coordinate training, and set clear standards to protect sensitive information.

Most importantly, it would give SAPS and other law-enforcement agencies the capacity to investigate and disrupt criminal networks that use the internet to move firearms, drugs, and other illicit goods.

“Now that the Western Cape Police Commssioner, Thembisile Patekile, has admitted that the SAPS can not contain this situation, the DA calls on Police Minister Cachalia to step in and fully support this initiative and ensure it is implemented without delay,” the party said.

This new institution would work hand-in-hand with existing policing measures. Intelligence-led operations, cyber-forensics teams, real-time tracking of lost and stolen firearms, and partnerships with tech and cellphone companies to flag suspicious activity would support the Commissioner’s work.

“Together, these measures would allow law enforcement to not only make arrests but also secure convictions and dismantle criminal networks. By establishing a Cyber Commissioner, the DA is putting forward a practical solution to protect communities, secure cyberspace, and stop criminals from exploiting online networks to fuel violence. Modern organised crime demands modern institutions, and this is a decisive step toward making our country safer,” the DA concluded.

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Reportedly, around 90% of gang murders in South Africa take place in the Western Cape, points out Benedicta van Minnen, Democratic Alliance (DA) Western Cape Spokesperson on Police Oversight and Community Safety. “Despite this crisis, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has failed to bolster its presence in the province. Police personnel numbers have dropped from nearly 20 000 officers in 2016 to just 18 000 in 2022, even as the province’s population grew by 11.8% over the same period. This has left communities dangerously under-resourced,” van Minnen said.

In crime hotspots, the police to population ratio is now one officer for every 962 residents, compared to the national average of one for 417. The Western Cape has only 12 908 active officers and faces an average vacancy rate of 12.39%, with some precincts sitting at just over 40% of the required personal. Detectives are overwhelmed with up to 142 case dockets each, to only a shocking 7% of murders being solved.

Minister Cachalia himself admitted on Tuesday 9 September that the intelligence-driven capabilities needed to combat gang violence and organised crime in Cape Town are still not fully in place. This is a failure that is costing lives, van Minnen said.

“There is no meaningful plan from SAPS to address the growing scourge of gang violence in the Western Cape. Communities are living in fear, and law enforcement is outnumbered, outgunned, and unsupported.”

“We cannot afford politicians singing the reform and renew songs while on the ground, capacity is dololo [zero]. Every day without action is another day our communities remain vulnerable. We demand accountability, urgency, and real delivery,” van Minnen said.

The DA is demanding that:

That SAPS table and implement a comprehensive resourcing plan for the Western Cape, with immediate effect.

That municipalities with proven, localised safety solutions be granted the powers and funding required to scale up their efforts and play a greater role in local law enforcement.

“The crisis in our communities cannot be resolved through empty promises and delayed plans. We need boots on the ground, intelligence units activated, and real intergovernmental cooperation that responds to the lived realities of our people. We will not stand by while bureaucracy continues to fail our children,” van Minnen concluded.

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What Member of the Provincial Parliament tasked with mobility Professor Nomafrench Mbombo termed “a strong indication that lawlessness on the roads will not be tolerated” came in the response to a provincial parliament question.

It showed more than 14 500 fines issued, 376 arrests and 1 070 taxis impounded in “the past year alone”. In a Democratic Alliance (DA) statement Mbombo has it the arrests were for offences ranging from reckless and negligent driving, operating unroadworthy vehicles to overloading. More severe criminal acts, such as fraud, drug possession, bribery and unlawful transport of undocumented individuals and stolen goods, were also on the list of what the statement calls “infractions”. Vehicles were impounded and fines issued to drivers/operators for unlicensed or expired permits, “excessive speeding”, lack of safety equipment and operating without valid documentation.

Beyond enforcement, the Western Cape government said it is engaging in constructive dialogue with provincial taxi associations. This dual approach — combining accountability with collaboration — aims to improve long-term compliance and deliver safer, more dependable public transport.

Open source information has it there are over eight thousand taxi operators in the province working 2 650 local minibus tax routes with 16 500 plus legal registered vehicles.

Of the Mobility Department statistics, Mbombo is quoted as saying: “While we commend the enforcement efforts, the figures are not a reason to celebrate. In a well-functioning system, taxi operators would comply with regulations by default. What commuters deserve is a transport service that is safe, reliable and dignified — not one plagued by non-compliance and risk. Enforcement is necessary, but the ultimate goal is widespread adherence to the law”.

“The provincial government is sending a clear message: those who break the law will face consequences. We are committed to bringing accountability to an industry too often marked by disorder.”

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Fidelity SecureFire, a subscription-based private firefighting service, launched in June in Cape Town. It has been operating in Gauteng since 2023. It’s also active in Durban, East London, Gqeberha and Bloemfontein.

On its website, the company describes itself as “reengineering the future of fire protection in South Africa through scale, technology, and an unwavering obsession with speed, trust, and precision”.

But the City of Cape Town’s chief fire officer, Clinton Manuel, said he wrote to Fidelity in May informing the company that the service was “unregulated”.

The City is opposing the operation of private firefighting services in its jurisdiction, considering it “unlawful and constitutionally impermissible”, said Manuel.

“We have no mandate from our citizens to outsource the fire and emergency function to private entities for their commercial gain and will not be entering into any sort of agreements with Fidelity,” said Manuel.

He confirmed that Fidelity is not linked to the City’s emergency call centre nor the Fire Service Command and Control Centre.

“They seem to be self-responding, but like any citizen, they have a duty to report fires to the legislative authority as soon as they become aware of an incident,” said Manuel.

The City’s fire service has not been receiving reports of fires from Fidelity, yet Fidelity has at times been first on the scene of a fire or accident, he said.

He said that City incident commanders have been instructed to ask Fidelity staff to leave the scene of a fire or other emergencies as having “unregulated and unauthorised service providers in attendance at fires” would undermine “managing emergency incidents safely and effectively”.

Manuel warned that Law Enforcement would be called to remove them.

He added that no one is permitted to use municipal fire hydrants other than the municipal fire service.

He said the City’s Fire and Rescue Service has agreements in place with district municipalities and the Western Cape government, and a fleet of over 130 firefighting vehicles.

“This, combined with our available staff, proves that we do not need assistance from private, unregulated entities purporting to be professional firefighters,” said Manuel.

Gauteng

Private firefighting services are gaining traction in Gauteng. In 2022, Discovery launched its private fire service in Johannesburg.

However, the City of Tshwane recently initiated court proceedings against private firefighting providers. The City filed papers in order “to enforce compliance with applicable legislation”, it said in a statement.

The City of Tshwane said that private fire services were operating without “legal authority, regulatory approval, or formal agreements with the municipality in direct contravention of national and local legislation governing emergency services”.

The City said the operations present challenges for the City’s command and control structures during emergencies, “compromise incident scene management, draw water from municipal fire hydrants, which violates city bylaws”.

The DA said in a statement following the City’s decision to go to court that “instead of trying to abolish private firefighting services, the City of Tshwane should instead aim for appropriate regulations while addressing its own capacity issues”.

Fidelity responds

Fidelity responded to GroundUp’s questions with a press statement. Wahl Bartmann, CEO of Fidelity Services Group, denied their services were unlawful. He said Fidelity is “confident that no existing laws prohibit or restrict the lawful provision of private firefighting services”.

Bartmann said that Fidelity SecureFire is not a replacement for municipal fire services but is “complementary”.

“We respond only when formally engaged through contractual agreements – similar to how private security firms operate. Our customers choose us voluntarily, seeking enhanced protection tailored to their specific needs,” he said.

He said that Fidelity would continue delivering its fire protection service despite resistance from municipalities.

Fidelity is expanding to Stellenbosch, Paarl, Worcester and Hermanus this July. Within the next few months, it will expand to Polokwane, Pietermaritzburg, Nelspruit, Richards Bay and other areas.

Written by Liezl Human for GroundUp and republished with permission. The original article can be found here.

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Nineteen security guards are currently being questioned as part of an ongoing investigation into the incident.

According to police reports, a coordinated operation involving police intelligence operatives, the National Intervention Unit, K-9 teams, the drone unit, and the provincial combat team was monitoring activity near the Nyanga taxi rank when gunfire broke out between rival groups. Their swift deployment prevented further bloodshed, officials said.

In response to the violence, police have intensified their presence in the area and other potential hotspots, ensuring public safety as scores of commuters were left stranded by the chaos.

The provincial taxi task team has taken over the investigation. Police are also collaborating with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA) to verify the legality of the confiscated firearms and assess the compliance of the security companies involved.

This tragic incident highlights ongoing tensions within the taxi industry and underscores the importance of proactive measures to prevent further violence. Investigations are expected to shed more light on the underlying causes and those responsible.

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“In Manenberg, for instance, where three people tragically lost their lives and four were injured over the weekend due to gun violence, police resources have been steadily depleted over time by the National South African Police Service. Vehicles that were redirected to Operation Restore were never replaced, leaving the station and its officers unable to adequately respond to calls for assistance. This situation is mirrored across the province, where specialised units such as the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) are similarly constrained by resources being depleted by the National SAPS. Shockingly, the AGU has not received new vehicles since 2019, often having to borrow vehicles from already strained police stations, limiting their capacity to conduct large-scale, disruptive operations against gang and gun violence,” Cameron said in a statement.

“Furthermore, the role of crime intelligence has diminished, as the reduction of resources by the National SAPS prevent the timely gathering and sharing of crucial information. An effective crime-fighting strategy hinges on real-time intelligence, yet this remains unattainable due to the severe under-resourcing of relevant SAPS units.”

Cameron added that compounding these challenges, the collaboration between SAPS and other critical departments—such as Correctional Services and the Department of Justice (DoJ)—is lacking.

He said there is an urgent need for a more integrated approach that ensures local police stations are notified when parolees are released into their precincts and that parolees are effectively monitored. Furthermore, close coordination with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is essential to secure stronger and swifter convictions in court. “The breakdown in these processes further hampers efforts to protect communities and bring offenders to justice,” he said.

The DA has called for the devolution of policing powers to the Western Cape provincial government to enable local approaches to the unique safety needs of the Western Cape.

“With more localised authority, the Western Cape government and the City of Cape Town could fast-track gun crime cases by conducting ballistic testing and crime scene investigations locally. This devolution would alleviate pressure on the national budget, ensure greater accountability at a local level, and expedite the conviction of gun-related offenders. We believe this approach will strengthen law enforcement and improve public safety in a way that is simply not achievable under the current centralisation,” Cameron stated.

“The safety of our communities is non-negotiable, and the DA will continue to advocate for the resources and reforms needed to end the scourge of gun violence in the Western Cape. We call on national government to prioritise SAPS resourcing, restore vehicles to local police stations, and support the devolution of policing to provincial and municipal authorities.

“The time for action is now; our communities cannot wait any longer for their right to safety and security. While resources present challenges, SAPS leadership must be transparent on whether we have the correct people in critical positions,” Cameron concluded.

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“These deaths highlight the tragic consequences of long-standing criminal intelligence failings in the Western Cape, and they must be seen as a harsh wake-up call for the South African Police Service (SAPS). If there is to be any prospect of reducing gang violence in the Western Cape, proactive measures are needed to ensure that the SAPS in the province is properly resourced,” Thomas Walters, Democratic Alliance (DA) Western Cape Spokesperson on Police Oversight and Community Safety said in a statement on 5 November.

“Currently, the SAPS simply do not have enough resources to support its crime intelligence and investigative departments. The number of detectives in the Western Cape has steadily decreased in recent years, and as a result, most significant crimes remain unsolved. 77% of SAPS stations in the Western Cape experience staff shortages, while vacancy rates in some of the province’s most violent districts can reach 80%.”

Walters said that, “While the Western Cape Government has allocated resources to assist with visible policing capacity through the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP), the fight against organised violent crime can only be won if the SAPS plays its part by improving investigative capacity and providing the resources required to take the fight to criminals.

“If the SAPS is unable to fulfil their mandate in the Western Cape, the national government must devolve power over policing to a capable provincial government that stands ready to prioritise safety in our communities.”

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The Combat Team acted on information regarding seven occupants of a minibus taxi, who were believed to be extorting money from shop owners in Du Noon. Upon the arrival of officers at the scene, the suspects fled, and officers initiated a pursuit. During the pursuit along Bosmansdam Road, the suspects opened fire at two police vehicles with an assault rifle. Police returned fire and brought the vehicle to a halt on the corner of Bosmansdam and Wylands Roads. The assault rifle, a 9 mm pistol, an undisclosed amount of cash was recovered, and the minibus taxi was confiscated.

While the injured suspects are undergoing medical treatment under police guard, detectives are investigating leads to prepare charges against the suspects for their imminent court appearances. The identities of the suspects are yet to be released.

The three fatalities and the injuries sustained by the four suspects are being investigated by IPID and a death inquest case docket has been registered. Fortunately, no SAPS members or members of the public were injured during the incident, police said.

Extortion remains a top priority for the Western Cape Police, the SAPS said, and the public is encouraged to come forward by using the toll-free extortion hotline, 0800 314 444.

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