When Minister of Police Bheki Cele presented the statistics for crimes reported from January 1, 2022 to the end of March 2022 on June 3, Kagiso Police Station often featured in the top 10 nationally and in the number-one spot provincially in terms of the number of crimes committed in its precinct.
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Judging by the number of cases reported, it was clear that especially violent crimes were rampant in the police station’s jurisdiction. For murder, it was ranked ninth in the country and number one in the province, with a shocking 87% increase in murders compared to the same period last year.
The News posed three questions to Kagiso police spokesperson Captain Solomon Sibiya:
• What is the reason for the high prevalence of violent crime in the precinct?
• What challenges does Kagiso Police Station face in curbing crime?
• What can the community do in assisting [the police] and preventing both violent and other crimes?
On June 17 Sibiya responded and pointed to alcohol being the biggest culprit when it comes to crime in the area.
“To date, alcohol abuse is the primary contributor. Hence we have committed to the total elimination and shutdown of illegal shebeens and liquor outlets that do not comply with the regulations of the Liquor Act 59 of 2003, which states that no person may sell, manufacture or distribute liquor, except if such person is registered and permitted to do so in terms of this Act,” said Sibiya.
Another problem we face is that community members are reluctant to provide important information which can help curb crime, especially violent crimes where firearms are used. We would like to see our communities taking charge of their respective areas, respecting and acknowledging the law but not taking the law into their own hands.
“We wish to see them standing up as one against all forms of criminality. We also wish to see our communities working closely with the police and making use of all available resources including the organisation’s hotlines,” concluded Sibiya.
