Note to Editors: Please find the attached soundbite in English by Freddy Sonakile MPL.
The North West provincial crime statistics released by Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Sello Lehari, show that the province is losing the fight against crime, especially in the Bojanala Platinum District.
The provincial crime statistics, which echo the statistics released by Police Minister Bheki Cele in August, failed to show any improved efforts by the police in the province to prevent and combat crime. A clear tell-tale sign that SAPS does not have a clear crimefighting strategy.
MEC Lehari’s report show that community reported crimes such as murder, rape, robbery and stock theft saw a 7,7% increase between April and June 2022 to 22 557 cases from 20 951 during the same period last year.
The report shows that the Bojanala Platinum District, the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District, and the Ngaka Modiri Molema District all showed an increase in community reported crimes. The bulk of these crimes took place in Bojanala – with Rustenburg police station accounting for most cases.
It is concerning that during this period 6 persons were murdered and 17 raped out of every 100 000 residents in North West.
Stock theft recorded a 10% increase, from 699 to 768 cases with the bulk reported in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality. The statistics indicate that 1 717 head of cattle, 1 662 goats and 1 333 sheep were stolen. Taung, Mmabatho, Madikwe and Ventersdorp Police Stations reported the bulk of stock theft crimes.
It is not only the public who suffer at the hands of criminals, but the SAPS indicated that 3 police stations were burgled during the period under review. It shows that the SAPS lacks the capacity and capabilities to not only prevent and fight crime, but also to protect the lives and property of citizens. It is evident that crime fighting in North West cannot be coordinated out of Pretoria.
It is time that we devolve policing functions to provinces.
The DA will continue to call for the increased support of Neighbourhood Watches and Community Policing Forums, the deployment of additional police officers, more police vehicles, and better training, as well as the reestablishment of specialised crime fighting units. To get the police working again is now a matter of life and death.