DA shadow MEC for safety and security Bobby Stevenson said the recently released crime statistics should be a cause for serious concern.
Picture: FREDDY MAVUNDA
“The crime statistics for the second quarter of the 2021/22 financial year, between July and September, released by National Police Minister Bheki Cele paint a dismal picture of runaway crime across the country,” Srevenson said.
TimesLIVE reported last week that Cele, speaking during a briefing, said the statistics showed that South Africa was a “very violent country”.
Between July and September this year, nearly 6,000 murders were recorded.
“Also extremely concerning is the rocketing number of cash-in-transit robberies, which more than doubled from six to 17 in the three months under review,” Stevenson said.
“Carjackings also rose from 298 between July and September 2020/2021 to 334 for the period under review.
“Robberies at non-residential premises rose by 18.6%, from 553 to 656 incidents.
“These statistics talk to an increase in organised crime syndicate activities, which is extremely concerning.”
Stevenson said that more was needed to be done to hold criminals accountable and called on community safety MEC Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe to urgently address the matter.
