The serious spike in crime in Gauteng can partly be attributed to economic pressure and the police force’s incompetence in combating crime.
The FF Plus has warned the provincial Commissioner, Lt. Gen. Elias Mawela, on several occasions that crime will continue to rise if attention is not paid to drawing up a budget that makes sufficient provision for enough equipment, vehicles and proper training.
From July to September this year, the murder rate rose with 19,4% from 1 320 to 1 579 compared to the corresponding period last year.
Attempted murder increased with 28% from 1 228 to 1 575. In the various cases of murder, a firearm was used in 768 of the incidents, a knife in 162 of the incidents and a rock in 29 incidents.
Truck jackings increased with 32,4% from 253 to 335, while theft from vehicles rose with 18,5% from 4 395 to 5 210 incidents. Theft from stores also spiked with 30,9% from 3 227 to 4 223.
It is, furthermore, alarming that the top 40 police stations in Gauteng all recorded an increase in the number of cases reported from July to September.
At the Honeydew Police Station, 613 cases were reported during these three months.
Sexual offences against women and children rose with 90,2% from 1 698 to 3 230, and the rape of women with 111,9% from 1 372 to 2 907. The murder of children increased with 30% from 30 to 39.
In September this year, there was a significant spike in domestic violence, which brings the figure for July to September to 9 270.
The FF Plus cannot emphasise this enough: If the Gauteng police force does not take decisive action to combat crime, these figures will skyrocket during the festive season.
The people of Gauteng cannot keep living in a province with an incompetent police force where no-one is safe.
Read the original article in Afrikaans by Kobus Hoffman on FF Plus
