Parliament, Friday, 21 February 2025 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Mr Ian Cameron, applauded the general decrease in various categories of crime such as murder, sexual offences, robbery with aggravating circumstances, attempted murder, carjacking, and robbery of residential and business premises. While the decreases are laudable on paper, the Chairperson highlighted that the recorded decreases are contrary to the lived experiences of all South Africans who are confronted by the scourge of crime.
“While the decrease is welcomed on paper, these statistics will be meaningful when an average South African in Delft in the Western Cape, Mthatha in the Eastern Cape and Eldorado Park in Gauteng can walk the streets without fear of being a victim of crime. The recorded 9.8% reduction in the murder rate is also welcomed, but the reality is that there continues to be a bloodbath in communities such as Nyanga, Delft, Inanda, and KwaMashu, where people are mercilessly killed daily,” Mr Cameron said.
The Chairperson was reacting following the release of the Third Quarter Crime Statistics, covering the period 1 October to 31 December 2024. The fact that the decrease happened during the festive season, a period normally associated with an increase in criminal activity, is laudable, but highlights the call made by the committee following the meeting of 19 February 2024 that high visibility and disruption operations by the police should be enhanced all year round, he said.
The disparity between the lived experiences and released crime statistics has been highlighted by the Victims of Crime Survey released by Statistics South Africa. Also, the Auditor-General highlighted concerns about the reliability of the crime statistics, something that needs urgent reflection and analysis. “While we don’t want to cast doubt on the veracity and dependability of the released statistics, the disparity between the statistics and daily experiences require consideration by the committee,” Mr Cameron said.
The Chairperson also highlighted the continued challenge of criminality in Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal, which remain the major drivers of high murder rates. A concerted effort must be made by leadership in those provinces to implement strategies to disrupt criminal activity through enhanced crime intelligence-led policing, increased visible policing, community collaboration and enhancement of leadership from police station level.
According to Mr Cameron, the weaknesses in leadership levels and the appointment of incapable senior management officers who are unable or unwilling to implement cutting-edge strategies to fight crime undermine the fight against crime. “The current shortage of trained dogs within the K9 Unit, the inadequate funding of specialised units such as the Anti-Gang unit, and the continued under capacitation of the detectives and the Crime Intelligence Unit highlights the deficiency of leadership, especially from police station level,” Mr Cameron said.
The Third Quarter Crime Statistics also highlight that while successes have been recorded, some challenges remain, including the low conviction rate of arrested criminals. The committee has been steadfast in calling for a prosecution-led approach to target violent and organised perpetrators of crime. The adoption of this approach is critical to ensuring that those arrested are prosecuted and convicted.
The committee will schedule a meeting to delve deeper into the statistics and to consider the concerns raised about the reliability of the crime statistics.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON POLICE, MR IAN CAMERON.
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