Tsakani – Tsakani Police Station has once again made it onto the national top 30 police station crime stats.
The local police station has made it onto the list in four categories, which include carjacking, sexual offences, rape and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
An alarming pattern has been painted by the number of rape, sexual offences and carjacking cases reported at the station.
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This was revealed in the third quarter national crime statistics, which stretches from October to December, released by police minister Bheki Cele on Friday.
The station reported 53 cases of sexual offences with a slight increase from the previous 52 from the previous quarter.
They dropped from position 12 in the previous quarter to 28.
The station now occupies position 28.
Forty-two cases of rape were reported, seeing a decrease of eight cases from the 50 which were reported in the previous quarter.
This saw the station occupying position 29 on the national statistics.
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Meanwhile, 36 cases of carjacking were reported, with a nine-case difference from the previous quarter.
In the drinking under the influence of alcohol category, 102 cases were reported, which saw a slight increase from the 101 which were previously reported.
Tsakani police spokesperson Sgt Lerato Mngomezulu said they are concerned about the number of rape and sexual offences.
“We have put measures into place to educate woman and children about sexual offences.
“We intensify and strengthen the partnerships with other stakeholders to educate men to refrain from committing these offences through awareness, and are also committed to arresting the perpetrators and to investigate as expected,” she explained.
Mngomezulu added that hijacking cases increased during this period.
“We are urging the community to work with the police in fighting this challenge for their safety.
“We have identified a lot of the cases where the driver was seated inside their car on the roadside at night or leave their cars running while they are busy with something else away from the car.
“We are appealing to the community to report cases and furnish the police with information to help arrest the perpetrators.”
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Mngomezulu added operational readiness of members and festive season activities put in place by Tsakani SAPS to police the area brought an increase in the number of those arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.
“The transgression of drunk driving came during the period when the curfew was announced and the ban of alcohol was put into place.
“The numbers show that our people don’t abide by the law,” she explained.
Tsakani SAPS station commander Col Johannes Maass acknowledged the stats.
“We are looking into other strategies to make Tsakani and the community safe.
“We encourage the community to join hands with police to fight crime,” he said.
