EFF STATEMENT ON THE RELEASE OF CRIME STATISTICS FOR 2017/2018
Tuesday, 11 September, 2018
The Economic Freedom Fighters notes with horror the latest crime statistics released by the South African Police Service today, 1 1 September 2018. While the Stats reveal a small percentage drop in crime overall, we are shocked by the rise in the number of, rapes, murders and cash-in-transit heists.
We are not as shocked as we are dismayed by the number of reported rapes in South Africa, which has increased to 40,035 cases in the year. We have witnessed over the past few years a dramatic increase in sexual violence all over the country, and there is no special plan, no strategy, and no resources put aside by the government to deal with this matter. The ANC government has repeatedly failed women of this country, it has allowed sexual violence to grow unhindered, and for that, they must never be forgiven.
Murder rates increased over the past year by about 7%, shooting up to over 20,000 cases recorded in 2017/18. This means that over 57 people are murdered in South African every day, and this is a rate of 35.7 people murdered per 100,000 population.
This is like a war zone. Our people live in fear for their lives every day. And yet, once again, we see no credible plan to deal with this matter from SAPS and those in leadership of the country. Almost 3000 women were murdered, and almost a 1000 children were killed in this country. What kind of society are we becoming that kills its children and their mothers?
The Western Cape is the murder capital of South Africa, and Nyanga Township is leading, as it has been the case over the past few years. We know people are murdered in Nyanga every day, but visible policing is still not available. The government needs to almost triple the number of police we have in that township, and in other problematic townships in the country. The police need proper training to tackle the murder of our people.
It is reported that we've had 238 cases of Cash-in-transit crimes over the past year, an increase from 152 cases the previous year. This is also indicative of the brazenness of the criminals, because they know that chances of being apprehended and prosecuted are minimal.
The EFF calls for a complete rethinking of government's approach to combating crime because whatever has been done in the past has not worked. The rethinking must emphasize the need for the creation of specialized units within SAPS to deal with sexual crimes, with murder, taxi violence, drugs and gangsterism. These units must be available at each and every police station, and be properly resourced with investigative capacity and human resources.
The State must take full responsibility for this tragedy of crime. The failure to restructure our economy to provide economic opportunities for all our people is at the root of the flourishing of criminal conduct. We must resolve our economic problems, over and above ensuring proper policing and prosecution of criminals.
We further call on all fighters across the length and breadth of the country that our branches must be coherent anti-crime units. We must report crime wherever it raises its ugly head, and we must work with our communities to find local solutions to this tragedy of lawlessness we have been forced to.
Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, 11 September 2018
