THE Safety and Security Portfolio Committee in the City of Cape Town has lamented the continuous attack on emergency and enforcement services.
The committee's chairman Councillor Mzwakhe Nqavashe said the attacks have a serious impact on service delivery.
Nqavashe said between July and September, two law enforcement officers were killed, while traffic cops, firefighters and Metro cops have come under attack in areas such as Philippi, Elsies River and Kraaifontein.
"In another incident, an officer was bitten by a dog that had been set on him and his colleagues by a crowd in Elsies River. The officers were trying to arrest a smash-and-grab suspect when some community members became involved and threatened the officers," said Nqavashe.
In the last three months, Nqavashe said the Metro cop's department recorded 15 attacks on its officers.
One of the attacks allegedly came from a taxi in the Delft area.
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"In one incident, a female officer was driving in Delft when the driver of a taxi tried to push her off the road before the occupants started pelting the vehicle with stones. The attackers fled when backup arrived," said Nqavashe.
The chairman said whenever a vehicle is destroyed, it will have to be taken for repairs. This means that the city will have fewer vehicles to attend to complaints from residents.
He said this also applies to the staff members who encounter violence from the public.
"For every staff member attacked, it is days, if not weeks of one fewer officer on duty, responding to the needs of communities. Even where staff are not physically harmed, emotional and psychological trauma cannot be ignored. Ultimately, our communities who need these services are the ones most affected," Nqavashe said.
"As the directorate rolls out its bodycams and dashboard-mounted devices, it will become increasingly difficult for perpetrators to hide. Hopefully, these shameless attacks will cease once we start tracking down more of those responsible and bring them to book."
