ON November 20, executive mayor councillor Herman Mashaba was joined by the chief of JMPD, David Tembe, for the release of its October performance statistics.
On the last JMPD monthly performance statistics as a public servant, Mashaba said: “We fail because we destroy the rules of law.”
The monthly presentation of the JMPD performance statistics ensure that the JMPD is able to hold itself accountable.
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For over a year now, the City of Johannesburg has committed to releasing the JMPD performance statistics.
This commitment is made to residents of Johannesburg so they can keep JMPD in their confidence on how it allocates its limited resources in order to combat crime and lawlessness.
While there are some concerning figures to come out of the report, there are some very encouraging ones too – notably the drop in the number of arrests made for hijackings and stolen vehicles, as well as robberies, in the past four months.
Mashaba said in terms of recoveries made between July and October, the JMPD managed to recover a total of 1 138 firearms and ammunition, while there were 243 recoveries of stolen or hijacked vehicles.
“Disconcertingly, arrests made from drunk driving reveal that our motorists remain stubborn and continue to put the lives of others at risk. A total of 1 043 suspects were arrested in October for driving under the influence of alcohol – up from September’s 1 033.
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The rise is more concerning when compared to July 2019, for instance, where 790 arrests were made for drunk driving.
Furthermore, the Accident Unit recorded 47 crashes in October, which resulted in the deaths of 25 pedestrians, 19 drivers or passengers, and one cyclist on our roads.
“The JMPD will be launching its festive season safety campaign imminently and, once more, we encourage them to be uncompromising with brazen motorists who continue to flout the law by driving under the influence.
“Those who do can be sure that they will be found out sooner rather than later,” he said.
Meanwhile, the JMPD’s By-law Management Unit, which on October 6 established a task team to combat illegal dumping, appears to have hit the ground running after impounding 54 unroadworthy or unsafe vehicles and recovering fines from 41 perpetrators so far.
The JMPD has increased resources and intensified deployment of officers to monitor and clamp down on illegal dumpers who appear unfazed by the impact of their pollution on the environment.
“I would like to encourage residents to help us by using our Anti-Illegal Dumping Hotline on 082 779 1361 to send clear photos of alleged perpetrators with information of the date, time, location and the vehicle registration plate number. With the assistance of residents, I have no doubt that the City of Johannesburg will turn the tide against crime.
“Finally, I would like to thank every law enforcement officer within the JMPD for carrying out your duties with pride. I wish Chief Tembe and the JMPD well for one of the most demanding periods of the year,” noted the mayor.
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The top six crime types (in terms of arrested suspects) between July and October were:
1. Hijacked/stolen vehicles – 105 (October seeing the fewest arrests with 19, while August saw 35)
2. Unlicensed/illegal firearms – 81 (July and September saw 14 arrests each, while August saw 34)
3. Robbery – 64 (October saw just eight arrests, with September seeing the highest with 26 arrests)
4. Stolen goods – 42 (both July and October saw 13 arrests each, while September saw just 5)
5. Assault – 41 (July saw seven arrests, while August saw the most arrests for assault with 12)
6. Drugs – 35 (October saw the most arrests made for drugs in the past four months with 12)
