The debate over expanding Cape Town Metro Police’s investigative powers has gathered further momentum, with Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis welcoming Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia’s indication that he has an ‘open mind’ on the proposal. According to the City of Cape Town, Hill-Lewis said the City is now waiting for dates from the Acting Minister’s office to begin the formal mediation process required under the intergovernmental dispute he declared earlier this week. ‘The time has come for us to make full use of all policing resources in Cape Town,’ he asserted. He noted that enhancing the capacity of the Cape Town Metro Police, equipped with the necessary training and technology, can profoundly impact crime investigations. The Police Amendment Bill, recently introduced in Parliament, is seen as a viable avenue to rapidly expanding investigative powers for Metro Police.