ANC hails the release of crime stats
The ANC singled out the role of businesses in the banking sector, business against crime and LeadSA for their continued partnership with the police to fight crime.
JOHANNESBURG: The African National Congress welcomed the release of the 2012/13 South African Police Service national crime statistics in Tshwane on Thursday September 19.
ANC Spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said in a statement, “We note with appreciation that the government has, in line with our delivery priorities, continued to invest in personnel, police vehicles and in police stations to ensure responsiveness and continued contact with communities.”
Mthembu continued to highlight that the ruling party has welcomed successes, which have been registered, in arrests of people involved in serious crime.
According to the ANC, the registered increase of convictions and sentences on serious crimes augers well for crime fighting objectives. Mthembu said the ANC is happy with the decrease in recorded violence against women and children.
He said, “We believe that the reduction of contact related crimes confirms the effectiveness of the police strategies to keep our communities safe. The decrease in sexual offences including rape must assist in the effort of confronting the scourge of dehumanising women and children.”
“We believe that the reduction of contact related crimes confirms the effectiveness of the police strategies to keep our communities safe. The decrease in sexual offences including rape must assist in the effort of confronting the scourge of dehumanising women and children.”
The ANC is also happy with the fight against robbery at residential, cash-in-transit, bank robberies and bombing of ATM which the government is continuously winning.
However, Mthembu said, “We are concerned that the decline in murder is experiencing a reverse trend albeit below 1 per cent. The noticeable increase in attempted murder cases is a cause for concern.”
Also of great concern is an increase of aggravated robbery which ‘undermines good work achieved in reducing robberies’. The ANC has called for urgency in areas such as burglary, increase in theft out of motor vehicle, commercial crime, car and truck hijacking, drug related crimes, drunken driving and violent public protests.
Mthembu said, “We call on all our communities to take a stand on abuses of substances that include liquor and drugs and to exercise restraint in all legal protests and strikes.”
Mthembu concluded by saying, “We also acknowledge the role of community policing forums for their role in reporting and keeping our communities safe”.
