News24 | Hitting the sweet spot: Mitchells Plain cops go viral for sharing treats in gang-hit area

• Mitchells Plain officers stopped their patrol vehicles after a successful crime-prevention operation to spoil a group of children with ice lollies.
• A video of the officers act of kindness has been shared widely on social media.
• The officers used their own money to spoil the children. 

A routine crime-prevention operation in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, last Thursday unexpectedly turned into a moment of compassion that has since captured widespread attention – after a video showing South African Police Service officers handing out ice lollies to children went viral.

The 39-second video, captured by one of the residents in Tafelsig, shows the officers in full uniform, at the local shop, purchasing the ice lollies for excited children who rally around as soon as they see the officers handing out the treats.

Captain Rajab Buggs, 55, and members of an integrated team – including the Provincial Operational Command Centre, the City of Cape Town’s metro and law enforcement – were conducting house searches in the Bayern Munich section of Tafelsig, a known hotspot for illegal firearms, drugs, unprecedented gang violence and an overwhelming amount of unlicensed liquor outlets.

The operation led to several drug arrests and two arrests for illegal liquor dealing, with several homes searched and a “large quantity” of alcohol confiscated.

“It was a really good operation,” said Buggs.

But it was a brief pause in the 32ºC heat of the day, rather than the arrests, that resonated with the community.

Speaking to News24, Captain Buggs, who is the sector commander in Portlands, explained that after hours of house searches in the heat, the seven-vehicle entourage stopped at a local shop to buy two-litre cool drinks for the officers in the patrol vehicles, a small gesture to keep the more than 20-member team hydrated.

“The vehicle I was in was in front of the entourage when we stopped in the middle of the street so I could just get some drinks before we headed off to our next operation.

“I quickly went into the local corner shop, and while paying, I noticed three young children lingering near the shop entrance, visibly wishing for something their parents may not have been able to afford – a simple ice lolly,” said Buggs.

Without hesitation, the officer bought them ice lollies.

Word quickly spread down the street after the excited children skipped out of the shop with their ice lollies, bragging to the next that “the police did lekker by me a sucker”.

Another child was heard saying: “Yoh this is my first time eating a green sucker” while another child had nothing but “thank you officers” to say.

More children then appeared – eventually around 15 in total – to which the officer gladly dug deeper into his pocket to buy treats for the entire group of kids.

One of the constables, moved by his commander’s gesture, got out of the vehicle and stepped in to buy another round of ice lollies from his own pocket.

What followed was the moment captured in the viral video, uniformed officers jogging between patrol vans and groups of children, handing out ice lollies before resuming their operations.

Buggs says it wasn’t the first time officers in Mitchells Plain had done this – only the first time it had been filmed by a member of the public.

“We try to build trust with the community,” he said.

“A lot of children grow up being told to fear the police and that the police only do one thing, and that is to arrest the criminals,” Buggs said.

He recalls that many times, he has heard parents say: “Run, the police are coming. We want to change that mindset because we want them to see we’re human too and we care for the community.”

According to Buggs, the children’s joy was immediate, but also bittersweet.

“Many of these kids have probably never had a sucker in their lives. If you come from this area, you know poverty is extreme. Sometimes the parents simply can’t afford even small things,” said Buggs.

The video also captured what looked like officers handing cool drinks to adult residents in the road – but Captain Buggs clarified that the cool drinks were actually for officers in the patrol vans, not for community members.

The video also made its way to the eyes of the Mitchells Plain station commander.

Despite Buggs thinking he might be “reprimanded” when station commander, Brigadier Brian Muller, later posted in a staff WhatsApp group asking, “Who bought the ice lollies for the children?”, Buggs was instead praised for the act of goodwill.

Muller believes such moments are crucial in areas like Tafelsig, where children often grow up amid crime, unemployment and trauma.

“I am immensely proud of what my officers did for those kids; it shows their humanitarianism and their willingness to engage and build trust among our people,” said Muller.

Muller said it “warmed my heart” to know that the officers acted out of the “goodness of their hearts” despite the toughness of the job.

“It’s something that I have been stressing to my members for a very long time, that we must treat everyone in the area with respect, despite what many may think of the police,” said Muller.

According to Buggs, children in Mitchells Plain have long grown up among violence.

Buggs said:

“It’s how they’re raised, what they’re exposed to. This area needs strong social services. A small moment like this can show them that the police are not monsters.”

For Buggs, the most rewarding part was seeing a young constable follow his lead.

“His heart is in the right place,” he said. “That’s how change happens – like the movie Pay It Forward. You do something good, and someone else carries it forward.”

Western Cape police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile said upon viewing the video, he expressed his appreciation for officers’ display of kindness.

“At a time when our members are under immense pressure to combat crime and ensure the safety of our communities, it is truly pleasing to witness such acts of humanity and compassion.

These gestures remind us that policing is not only about enforcement, but also about building trust, strengthening community relations, and showing care, especially to children,” Patekile said.

The provincial police chief commended the members for going “beyond the call of duty” and embodying the values of service and humanity during this festive period.

Patekile said this “touching moment” reflects SAPS’ commitment to fostering positive relationships with communities while carrying out its mandate to protect and to serve.

The community’s reaction – and the viral spread of the video – suggests the gesture by the officer hit home far beyond Tafelsig.

What began as a standard crime-prevention operation ended up shining a rare spotlight on humanity within policing, in one of Cape Town’s most troubled neighbourhoods.