Crime stats: Minister Bheki Cele must not lie, we are not turning the tide against crime 

16 February 2024  

The release of the third-quarter crime statistics by Police Minister, Bheki Cele, shows that South Africans simply no longer trust the South African Police Service (SAPS) to solve crime, and therefore do not make the effort to report crimes to the police service. The crime statistics reaffirm ActionSA’s position that a complete and comprehensive overhaul of the policing system is necessary, and that Minister Cele should be fired for failing to do his job. 

While Minister Cele may seek to celebrate a supposed decline in sexual offences, it may not point to a decrease in sexual offences committed but simply the apprehension of victims to report these crimes to the police. A far better indicator of South Africa’s crime situation is the murder rate which has consistently increased - with 7 710 people murdered between October and December last year. 

The Police Minister should therefore not lie to the South African people that the police are turning the tide against crime when in reality our communities are under siege. Too many South Africans have been left defenceless due to the failing SAPS, with our children unable to safely play in our streets and our people being harassed on their way back home from work. 

ActionSA has a plan to turn around South Africa’s disastrous crime situation. Our Law & Order policy, adopted at our inaugural Policy Conference last year, will restore the rule of law in South Africa by reintroducing specialised policing units to fight complex crimes and syndicates.

Once elected to government, we will employ additional police officers, cut the budgets for VIP protection and abolish bail and parole for serious crimes such as rape, murder and drug cartels. A life in prison will mean a life in prison. 

An ActionSA government will also ensure higher pay and improved resourcing for police officers. Many of whom risk their lives to keep us safe but are let down by corrupt and rudderless police management.

ActionSA believes South Africa’s criminal situation can be turned around but that it will require political will, strong leadership and providing a credible alternative to the current failed system.

The ruling party has allowed South Africa to fall victim to lawlessness, and urgent action is therefore necessary to remove them from government and replace it with a government that will protect our people. 

Issued by Herman Mashaba, President, ActionSA, 16 February 2024