DEAR Editor;
The latest quarterly crime statistics released by the Minister of Police Bheki Cele for the period April 1 to June 30, 2021, is an indictment on him and the South African Police Service (Saps).
The minister sought to whitewash these figures by stating that they were “high and unnatural” as a result of the lockdown. However, the prevalence of violent crime is still shocking and abnormal.
The murder rate is up by 60.2%, with a total of 5 760 people losing their lives during this period. Contact crimes saw a 60.6% increase and aggravated robberies went up by a staggering 92.2%.
During the period of April to June, there were 181 attacks on farms and smallholdings which resulted in 15 murders. There were 47 more attacks compared to the same period last year.
The need for visible boots on the ground policing in rural areas is critical to ensure the safety of these communities.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) remains concerned by the high levels of sexual violence and domestic abuse which continues to ravage communities, especially women and children. In the three months of reporting, more than 10 000 people were raped. 500 of the reported cases were connected to domestic violence incidents.
With every batch of crime statistics released it becomes increasingly clear that vulnerable communities and groups continue to bear the brunt of heinous physical acts of violence. They are also the biggest victims of Minister Cele and the Saps’ incompetence.
It’s time for Minister Cele to take responsibility for his failure to keep South Africans safe and resign.
ANDREW WHITFIELD MP
DA Shadow Minister of Police
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