R 121453Z MAY 09
FM AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 3072
INFO AMEMBASSY PRETORIA

UNCLAS CAPE TOWN 000106 
 
 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF, DS/OPO/FPD, DS/DSS/OSAC, AND DS/DSS/ITA 
PRETORIA FOR RSO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC
SUBJECT:  SNAPSHOT OF CRIME IN CAPE TOWN 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  A recent spike in criminal activity around Cape 
Town has culminated in increased crime deterrence operations by the 
South African Police Service.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) On April 29, 2009, a South African Police Service (SAPS) 
contact informed the RSO that several individuals had been 
apprehended as a result of a local crime prevention operation.  The 
operation was developed in response to six recent house robbery 
cases in the neighborhoods surrounding the Consulate.  Although one 
suspect was in possession of multiple high end electronic items, 
none of the individuals had yet been charged pending confirmation 
that the items were confirmed as stolen. 
 
¶3. (U) On May 7, 2009, SAPS conducted a joint sector policing 
operation which resulted in the arrest of 14 Namibian nationals. 
The individuals were accused of operating a robbery syndicate in the 
southern suburbs of Cape Town.  During the final two weeks of April, 
a number of homes in gated communities were targets of home 
invasions.  The communities are located in the Constantia, Hout Bay, 
Kirstenhof, and Tokai suburbs of Cape Town.  A SAPS contact reported 
to the RSO that a number of the individuals arrested during the 
operation had prior military training, and were accomplished in 
conducting surveillance activities.  The majority of men were 
arrested in the Mandela Park township community in Hout Bay, and the 
operation netted over 2,000,000 ZAR (approximately $241,000 U.S.) 
worth of stolen property. 
 
¶4. (U) On May 10, 2009, SAPS officers arrested two men after a 
botched robbery at a shopping center restaurant.  At approximately 
2145 hours, several men walked into a restaurant in the Canal Walk 
shopping centre and demanded cash from the staff.  One of the 
accused fired a single shot from a handgun, wounding a restaurant 
employee in the neck.  The men ran from the scene and were quickly 
arrested by police.  However, according to police sources the gun 
has not been recovered and it is believed that a third suspect is 
still at large.  Canal Walk is a high end shopping center located in 
the northern suburbs of Cape Town.  This shopping center is 
frequented by Consulate staff and visiting U.S. tourists.  Delta 
Airlines also make use of a hotel near Canal Walk for their New York 
- Cape Town flight crew layovers. 
 
¶5. (U) In March of 2009, Steenberg Estate, one of the gated 
communities adjacent to the Consulate, initiated a multi-million 
Rand upgrade of their security portfolio.  This massive upgrade was 
in response to 11 reported incidents of house robbery in January 
¶2009.  One month after implementing their new security format, the 
community suffered several additional home invasions now attributed 
to the Namibian nationals arrested on May 7th. 
 
6.(U) Silvertree Estates, another gated community adjacent to the 
Consulate, made several improvements to their access control 
procedures after suffering nine house robberies in January and 
February of 2009.  A residential gated community in Hout Bay has 
recently conducted a review of their security procedures after a 
recent home invasion, also attributed to the individuals arrested on 
May 7th.  The Consulate currently leases eight residential homes 
between these three gated communities.  The RSO has met with the 
security managers for each estate and reviewed each robbery 
incident. 
 
¶7. (U) While SAPS is making an effort to be more assertive in 
addressing crime in Cape Town, these incidents highlight the 
aggressive and increasingly sophisticated nature of the criminal 
elements that target the community around the Consulate.  In the 
majority of residential burglary cases, the houses that were 
Qmajority of residential burglary cases, the houses that were 
targeted did not have security features on par with Consulate homes. 
 However, it is important to note that these same gated communities 
have strict guidelines regarding the installation of security grills 
or other physical barriers on residential doors and windows. 
Visible security features are generally not approved by the 
homeowner associations as they are deemed to be detrimental to the 
image of the community and would detract from the aesthetic that the 
community is safe. 
 
¶8. (U) Point of contact for this cable is RSO Thomas Murray, office 
telephone:  027-021-702-7438. 
 
MAYBERRY