The City of Cape Town has presented a series of requests to the national government, including enhanced municipal police powers, devolution of passenger rail, the release of national mega-properties for affordable housing, increased social housing subsidies, and the elimination of bureaucratic red tape to foster economic growth.

The city advocates for the devolution of criminal investigative powers to municipal officers to bolster the state's capacity to prosecute gang-, gun-, drug-, and extortion-related crimes. This could be achieved through a straightforward amendment to the South African Police Service (SAPS) Act, allowing municipal police to investigate crime as well as prevent it.

However, the DA has refused to use existing powers to enhance crimefighting capacity. The Premier's office has powers of special investigation, which it has refused to use to investigate the collusion between SAPS and the Cape gangs, which has been part of a national strategy since Zuma struck a deal with the gangs in 2011, leading to the assassination of Lt. Col. Charl Kinnear.

The Provincial Parliament also has the power to establish municipal police in any or all of its subsidiary municipalities, an opportunity which has equally been passed over. All previous attempts to get the national government to devolve these powers has been rebuked.

However, the national government has reached an agreement on two of the aforementioned policy areas - rail and housing.

The Transport Department has reportedly completed a draft National Rail Devolution Strategy. Cape Town is nearing the finalization of a Service Level Agreement with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, paving the way for future devolution discussions. The city's Rail Feasibility Study is also progressing, with findings expected to be presented to the council later this year. These initiatives aim to integrate private sector involvement in passenger rail within a comprehensive transport planning and management system.

In terms of affordable housing, Cape Town has engaged positively with national authorities regarding the release of large properties, such as the Wingfield, Youngsfield, and Wynberg military bases, for the development of an estimated 100,000 affordable housing units. These properties, currently underutilized, hold significant potential for transforming the housing landscape in Cape Town.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has sought a definitive timeline for the devolution of passenger rail services to metropolitan areas. But in the draft policy, such a timeline has already been established, suggesting that he hasn't read the policy:

"Devolution and assignment of urban guided transit, with concomitant funding, to local authorities: This action should be completed no later than the end of PRASA's present contract for commuter trains, or earlier if local authorities so request. No local urban guided transit plans to address road congestion exist at present, so new infrastructure could take ten years or more to commence operations. Further rolling stock for existing urban networks could be procured in a shorter time. [...] Provincial reserve: The National Rail Policy will advise provinces to exercise their authority to implement regional rapid transit: Operations commencement could be achieved 10-15 years after enactment."

Concerns have been raised about the constraints posed by national subsidy limitations, which hinder the expansion of the affordable housing sector. Despite the city's efforts to release land and maximize social housing yield, project viability remains a challenge due to bureaucracy and limited funding through the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA). The city emphasizes the need for adequate funding for SHRA, the reduction of red tape around subsidies, and the protection of welfare grants from budget cuts.

Cape Town also welcomes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment to reducing red tape that impedes government infrastructure investment and economic growth. These measures are seen as vital for enhancing the city's capacity to deliver essential services and support sustainable development.

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