By ANINE KRIEGLER, VANYA GASTROW AND ASIVE XALI

This report documents South Africa’s first multi-site, evidencebased policing experiment. The DKNG Hotspots Policing Project was a collaboration between the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Western Cape Government (WCG), and the City of Cape Town (CCT). Implementation was supported by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF). The project aimed to reduce violent crime by implementing tested evidence-based policing (EBP) strategies. Using data, research, and analysis, EBP ensures that policing strategies are informed by the best available evidence of what works. The strategy tested was a specific approach to hotspot patrols. The first test was in 2023 as part of South Africa’s first EBP experiment in Mitchells Plain, which used data-driven methods to identify and direct patrols to a violent-crime hotspot in Tafelsig. The Mitchells Plain pilot experiment demonstrated that the strategy had the potential to contribute to a reduction in violent crime. The DKNG hotspots policing project builds on the success of the initial intervention in Mitchells Plain by incorporating lessons learned and expanding the strategy to four new areas: Delft, Khayelitsha, Nyanga, and Gugulethu (DKNG). It comprises the first multi-site, hotspots policing experiment on the continent and is a significant step in bringing EBP to South African policing. In just four months, the DKNG intervention demonstrated significant impacts across various areas of public safety. These impacts include:

• Preventing 100 violent crimes in eight hotspots: During the four-month monitored deployment period, there was a notable reduction in contact crimes compared with the same four months of the previous year. Specifically, there were 100 fewer contact crimes recorded in the hotspots than expected if these areas had followed the same trend as the control areas. This indicates that the intervention effectively prevented these crimes in the targeted hotspots. • Substantial year-on-year reductions in multiple crime categories: The intervention contributed to significant decreases across various crime categories. This achievement highlights the effectiveness of the targeted strategies employed. • Efficient use of resources: The strategy demonstrated that it is possible to achieve marked improvements in safety without additional resources. By optimising existing capabilities and focusing efforts where they are most needed, the project managed to enhance overall effectiveness. • Management improvements: The intervention also led to management and leadership enhancements at the station level. Commanders adopted new tracking and monitoring tools, which improved the oversight and execution of policing strategies. These achievements underline the potential of EBP strategies to significantly enhance public safety outcomes, even within a limited timeframe and without increasing resources . Targeted hotspot patrols are not the singular solution to South Africa’s challenge of violent crime, a highly complex phenomenon requiring a multifaceted approach. However, the strategy’s effectiveness indicates that it could be a valuable component of a broader violent-crime reduction strategy. It also demonstrates the value of testing strategies to ensure their efficacy in terms of crime reduction and preserving limited state resources. This report describes the project’s careful planning and rigorous implementation and assesses the strategy’s impact on crime. It highlights the strategy’s contributions, challenges, and lessons learned, offering practical, scalable recommendations for future public safety and policing strategies. By promoting awareness of EBP principles in South Africa, the report seeks to encourage the broader uptake and scaling of EBP for greater impact. While addressing crime requires broader efforts beyond policing, this approach can play a key role in fostering safer communities by providing tested strategies and services, helping communities move closer to living in peace and safety

Pretoria: Institute for Security Studies 2025. 48p.