“Crime statistics for 2016/2017 indicate that the figures for trio crimes (carjacking, robberies at residential premises and robberies at non-residential premises), which are the crimes that the public fears the most, have increased for the fifth consecutive year with an average of 51,1%. This confirms that the public does have reason to believe that crime in South Africa is escalating and consequently they will lose faith in the police,” says Dr Pieter Groenewald, leader of the FF Plus and their main spokesperson for Police.
According to the latest crime statistics, the figures for murder (1,8%), attempted murder (0,4%), carjacking (14,5%), robberies at residential premises (7,3%) and robberies at non-residential premises (5,0%) have all increased for the fifth consecutive year.
What is disturbing is that over the last five years, the trio crimes have respectively increased as follows: carjacking with 77,5%, robberies at residential premises with 33,2% and robberies at non-residential premises with 42,6%.
Although the police have access to the statistics on farm murders and attacks, they did not want to disclose the figures in the meeting. In the 2015/2016 year report, there were 49 farm murders and 446 attacks on farms. It creates the impression that there was a significant increase in the number of farm murders and that the police want to avoid addressing the issue in public. The police, however, did undertake to disclose the figures to Dr Groenewald later this afternoon.
Dr Groenewald says that the Minister of Police, Mr Mbalula, talks a lot and often has good proposals, like the fact that that police must be professional, disciplined and held accountable, but the time has come for all the talk to be put into practice.
“The crime situation in South Africa is too serious to merely rely on political rhetoric to create the impression that the problem of crime will be addresses, drastic action is what is needed now,” says Dr Groenewald.
Contact details: 083 627 4397 / 065 801 7216
;
