Phil Craig, leader of the Referendum Party, says momentum is building behind the push to devolve policing powers to the Western Cape.

He argues that the effort has gained traction since 2019, when the Democratic Alliance first made it a core policy goal, and that both the provincial and city administrations in the Western Cape and Cape Town respectively, are now advancing complementary strategies to test the limits of national control.

Craig says Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has repeatedly sought permission from Pretoria to assume greater oversight of policing but has been blocked by national authorities. At the same time, the City of Cape Town has expanded its Law Enforcement Advancement Plan and is preparing legal action to secure investigative powers for its officers, powers currently reserved for the South African Police Service.

He contrasts Winde’s cautious approach, seeking formal authorisation before acting, with Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis’s readiness to push the issue through the courts.

Craig says this mirrors Cape Town’s earlier legal battles to procure its own electricity supply, framing both as tests of practical federalism.

Craig says any ruling in the City’s favour could fundamentally alter South Africa’s centralised policing model and set a precedent for other provinces seeking similar powers.