Mpumalanga deals crime the hardest blow

NELSPRUIT – If you are reading this from within the confines of Mpumalanga, rest assured that you are in the safest province in the country, according to the provincial head of community safety, security and liaison, MEC Mr Vusi Shongwe.

This is Shongwe and the provincial police commissioner, Gen Thulani Ntobela’s interpretation of the provincial crime statistics which were revealed on Thursday afternoon.

The MEC stated that the provincial SAPS and department had delivered its 2010 promise to reduce especially serious crime.
Law-enforcement agencies were able to effect a reduction in crime in 14 out of the 25 crime categories, emerging as the top crime fighters in the country according to the national crime statistics for 2012/13.

The province showed the largest comparative drop in crime in the following categories:
• Assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm (a drop of 19,7 per cent compared with Gauteng in second place with a decrease of 14,5 per cent)
• Common assault (a drop of 19,7 per cent compared with Gauteng’s 16,7 per cent)
• Common robbery (less 15,6 per cent)
• All theft not mentioned elsewhere (a decline of 14,1 per cent)
• Malicious damage to property (a reduction of 15,3 per cent)
• Theft of motor vehicles and cycles (17,3 per cent decrement)
• Stock theft (16,6 per cent less)
• Murder (the ratio of murder per 100 000 of the population decreased by 14,1 per cent)
• Attempted murder (decreased with 15,2 per cent)
• Robbery with aggravating circumstances (17,8 per cent less)
• Residential housebreaking (7,1% decrement)
• Theft out of motor vehicles (10,7 per cent less)
• Carjacking (a decrease of 12,4 per cent)
• Residential robbery (less 15,1 per cent).

Crime ratios
Crime rations or rates are used and not raw figures with percentages. Ratios equalise population growth and allow a comparison of real incidence of crime over time, according to the SAPS.
For example, a total of 64 514 sexual offences in a population of 50 million results in a ratio of 127,5 and 656 387 offences in a population of 52 million one of 127- a decrease of 0,5

How did they do it?
Mpumalanga’s strategy to reduce serious crime is simple, says Ntobela. “We identified 25 stations in areas with a high crime rate, and resourced these accordingly,” he explained. These stations were given a full complement of staff and vehicles.
It is Ntobela’s view that criminals are deterred wherever there are two cars to patrol any one sector. He also hailed the Overall Friday project as extremely successful, aiding in the apprehension and arrest of suspects, and removing unsafe vehicles from the road.

What are the challenges?
The prevalence of sexual offences; car accidents and crime in the area of Tonga were named as challenges in the province.
Shongwe believes that the reintroduction of sexual-offences courts will have an effect on the incidence of this crime because more convictions will act as a deterrent. Rape is often not reported because the perpetrator is the family’s breadwinner, which thwarts the work of law-enforcement officers.
The incidence of crime in Tonga is of the highest in the province, and includes murder, sexual assault, assault and robbery.
Another concern for the department is a rise in bank robbery. The department has met with bank managers to discuss measures to address this crime, which is usually committed by employees of the bank, says Shongwe.

Public involvement
The high level of cooperation between law enforcement and civil society in towns such as Barberton and Nelspruit has resulted in a decline in crime here, according to the MEC. Sector forums and tip-offs by the public are critical elements for an effective police force and he encouraged more members of the community to report crime or suspicious activity.

Reporting crime
Asked whether the SAPS was aware of complaints with the 1011 crime number, Ntobela responded that there were problems, but that these had been addressed. “We have retrained our operators and use an electronic answering system when they are busy so that we don’t lose a call,” he said.
Crime will expand with the community’s willingness to put up with it. Shongwe quoted Barry J Farmer, and says citizens “must worry about it” until everyone is free from the fear of crime.