Officers attached to the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) have recovered 1 003 illegal firearms, including handguns and semi-automatic rifles, more than 13 000 rounds of ammunition and made 1 133 arrests linked to the confiscations. 

LEAP is a joint initiative between the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Government.
 
The first group of officers hit the streets in February 2020 – since then, the staffing complement has increased to more than 1 000, deployed to high crime areas in Cape Town, in support of the South African Police Service and the City’s Metro Police Department.
 
In recent days, illegal firearm confiscations since the establishment of LEAP surpassed 1 000.
 
Among the weapons confiscated are pistols, revolvers, and even semi-automatic weapons like AK47 assault rifles.
 
This is in addition to firearm confiscations by other City enforcement agencies namely Metro police, Traffic and the specialised units and areas units within Law Enforcement.
 
Officers have also recovered 13 362 rounds of ammunition and arrested 1 133 suspects linked to the illegal firearm recoveries.
 
‘This is an incredible achievement, and I applaud our LEAP officers for their commitment to the cause, despite the many challenges they face daily. One can only hope that their efforts will not be in vain, and that the rate of convictions will increase to mirror the work happening on the ground.
 
‘It is critical that our staff see the fruits of their labour through the criminal justice system. The decision last month to grant bail to suspects caught in Nyanga with four rifles, a handgun and 350 rounds of ammunition was a massive blow to the morale of staff who put their lives on the line in the pursuit of public safety,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
 
The area where the highest number of firearms were confiscated, was in Delft, by the LEAP reaction unit.
 
‘I congratulate every LEAP officer who has contributed to reaching this significant milestone of 1 000 illegal firearms confiscated. Every firearm taken off our streets and out of the hands of criminals saved countless lives and interrupts gangs from carrying out their deadly attacks. LEAP remains an investment well spent by the Western Cape Government. At a time when the South African Police Service is severely under-resourced and struggling to meet the policing demands placed on it, these additional boots on the ground provide critical support in areas most affected by violent crime.
 
‘I have no doubt that the situation in these communities would have been significantly worse had the Western Cape Government not made this strategic investment. I also want to acknowledge the City of Cape Town, which manages the operational implementation of the programme and has ensured that this investment translates into a tangible law enforcement presence and results on the ground,’ said Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais.