Western Cape to push through controversial Safety Bill

The Western Cape government will push through the controversial Community Safety Bill despite it being shot down by Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, it was reported on Wednesday.

Provincial premier Helen Zille told a press conference on Tuesday that the latest spike in gang violence highlighted the need for urgent intervention, the Cape Times reported.

"We want to avoid these spikes. We want to avoid gangsterism altogether," she said.

Zille said the province had limited powers to intervene. The bill would give it more strength in its oversight role over police and help highlight systemic problems.

Mthethwa reportedly slammed the bill earlier in the year, and said the province was exceeding its constitutional powers.

However, community safety MEC Dan Plato would table the bill in the Provincial Legislature for a vote.

If passed into law, the bill would directly tackle organised crime and involve communities more closely, Plato was quoted as saying.

Mthethwa's spokesman Zweli Mnisi said the ministry's legal team would be contacted before commenting.