Pinetown hit hard by crime

AN unwelcome rise in crime in the Highway area reflected in the national crime statistics released last week has been met with serious concern from many Highway residents.

While the 2012/13 stats showed a slight decrease in most crimes nationally, the Highway area saw a shocking increase in crimes, particularly in Pinetown.

According to the stats, murder increased from 20 to 26, assault with grievous bodily harm from 221 to 233, robbery with aggravated circumstances from 709 to 1018, burglary at non-residential premises from 491 to 715, burglary at residential premises from 1305 to 1375, theft out of or from a motor vehicle from 812 to 1142, carjacking from 139 to 234, robbery at residential premises from 143 to 155 and robbery at non-residential premises from 58 to 123.

Ward councillor for Pinetown, Tim Brauteseth said he was extremely concerned about Pinetown statistics in many of the worst categories of crime.

He said while a minority of Pinetown residents are doing their best through CPFs and neighbourhood watches, and there are many SAPS members committed to fighting crime, there seems to be something seriously wrong.

He said the only conclusion he can draw is that most of the efforts are completely reactive and mean that despite all these efforts, the community will always remain a good few steps behind criminals.

“We need more of the neighbourhood watches representatives at the relevant CPF meetings to share information gathered on a daily basis. The Pinetown SAPS in turn need to analyse and utilise this data and implement measures, whatever the cost, to insert specifically trained members into criminal syndicates to shatter their reign of terror over the Pinetown community,” said Brauteseth.