The chairman of the Bedfordview Community Police Forum, Gavin Henry, said a meeting with Bedfordview SAPS delivered different figures for arrests and convictions to that provided in a press statement released by the Democratic Alliance (DA).
The DA spokesperson for community safety, Michele Clarke, issued a press statement on May 7 stating that although 125 arrests had been made in Bedfordview in 2016 and 2017, there had been only one conviction.
“I was assured by the Bedfordview SAPS’ head of detectives, Colonel Maluleke, that both figures are much higher,” said Henry.
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“The MEC for community safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, made this revelation in a written reply to questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. According to the MEC arrests were made for murder, attempted murder, rape, burglary (residential), burglary (commercial/business), robbery with aggravated circumstances, common robbery, theft of motor vehicle, theft out of motor vehicle, assault and domestic violence. The MEC needs to investigate why so many arrests were made with only one conviction,” Clarke stated.
She alleged that it raises concerns whether cases are thoroughly investigated by the police and also questioned whether cases are thrown out of court due to lack of evidence from the police.
“The SAPS only releases crime statistics once a year and thus I don’t have the latest figures,” Henry commented.
“The figure is disputed, but the challenges at the station include low morale, poor working facilities, lack of equipment and for the last five years, the 35 detectives have only had one office to work from,” said Henry.
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“There were cases that were dismissed. It is not as simple as one conviction out of 125 arrests. The convictions that happened in 2016 and 2017 may well be arrests from years ago.
“It is very unlikely that there will be 10 prosecutions or convictions for every 10 arrests,” said Henry.
He said that the figures are contested by the station and all information asked and answered needed to be cleared up by the DA or MEC.
Henry commented on Friday afternoon that following a meeting with the station it was established that during the 2016/2017 year in the criminal categories mentioned by the DA, 80 arrests were made of which there were 45 convictions.
“In 2015 Bedfordview station was a one-star station. It is now a three-star station. A two per cent improvement in performance will make us a four-star station. Out of the 12 stations in our cluster, we are ranked third. Out of the 142 stations in the province, we are ranked 39th.
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“We were 115th in 2015,” said Henry.
“We have no idea where the figures of 125 arrests and one conviction come from. We believe the improvements can be attributed to a renewed drive amongst the detectives, despite their working conditions, and an active oversite role played by passionate individuals in the Bedfordview CPF,” said Henry.
The NEWS’ attempts to also obtain confirmation from the Bedfordview SAPS and the Department of Justice on these numbers were in vain.
