An unknown man died on the premises of the Sea Point police station after allegedly being involved in a fight and stabbed by a man who was arrested for the crime minutes later.
Captain Cyril Dicks, Sea Point SAPS head of corporate communication, confirmed the incident and that Lieutenant Colonel Jacques Verster, who was in his office at the time last Thursday, identified and arrested the suspect.
“It is believed that the two males were in an argument, reason unknown at this stage. Lieutenant Colonel Verster looked outside his office window and he witnessed a male running towards the Sea Point Community Service Centre and another behind him, holding a sharp object in his hands,” said Captain Dicks.
“Shortly afterwards the deceased collapsed in the doorway to the community service centre. The ambulance services were contacted but sadly on their arrival he had already passed away,” he said.
Lieutenant Colonel Verster apprehended the suspect in the tent encampment opposite the police station, and the alleged murder weapon was also discovered.
“The suspect, a 40-year-old male apparently from The Kraal was arrested and detained at Sea Point SAPS,” Captain Dicks said.
Ward 54 councillor Nicola Jowell says that the City of Cape Town has reached out to the people living in the tents opposite the police station but made little progress.
“It is tragic that there was a loss of life. The young man who lost his life and the person arrested were both not living in the area but had come into the area, and an altercation took place at this site which resulted in the stabbing incident. This site should be a multi-purpose sorting facility which has been delayed for two years now due to this occupation of the land and refusal to accept assistance into alternative accommodation,” Ms Jowell said.
Green Point Neighbourhood Watch chairman Peter Flentov says residents are concerned after hearing about the murder.
“Residents are concerned any time there is a serious crime, as they should be. We are fortunate that violent crimes like this are rare in Green Point and Sea Point, over the past 10 years there have been an average of 2.3 murders a year and these incidents typically involve disputes between people who know each other,” Mr Flentov said.
“While every murder in the area is one too many, this is still not a danger that threatens the average resident going about his or her daily life,” he said.
Wayne Dyason, spokesperson for Law Enforcement says that their officers have daily patrols in the area.
“We will attend to an incident or complaint when officers are notified or they come across criminal activities.The City’s enforcement departments act in support of the South African Police Service as the national crime prevention agency,” Mr Dyason said.
JP Smith, the mayoral committee member for safety and security says that LEAP is only deployed to priority police precints.
“The City has deployed 100 extra officers to the Cape Town CBD and the surrounding areas, including the Atlantic Seaboard to increase enforcement,” Mr Smith said.
On Mr Smith’s facebook page he points out that the City is hamstrung by politics.
“While the increased crime statistics have been documented in areas surrounding sites where unlawful occupation has occurred, the City is still prevented from enforcing counter-spoilation measures, as ruled by the courts. While many of these rulings against the CCT were obtained through highly questionable applications, political parties have sided with implicated social justice groupings, in order to bring about the resulting anarchy,” he said.
Residents can report criminal activity by phoning the City’s public emergency communication centre on 107 from a landline and 021 480 7700 from a cell phone
