The police’s latest crime statistics for the first quarter of 2026/27 raise serious questions about the effectiveness of crime prevention in Gauteng.
Although the police report executing hundreds of operations and arrests, the real measure is not the number of actions, but tangible results: less crime, more successful prosecutions and the dismantling of organised crime networks.
The report shows that 751 people were arrested in connection with illegal mining, however, 625 of these arrests related only to immigration-related offences.
The police service needs to explain how many syndicate leaders, financiers, gold buyers and other key figures were actually prosecuted and convicted.
Gang violence remains a serious issue, yet the report records only two convictions in gang-related cases. This points to a large discrepancy between the scale of operational activities and the eventual judicial outcomes.
Human trafficking is another cause for concern. Although 27 existing cases proceeded, no new dossiers were received during the quarter. The police should explain whether this reflects an actual decrease in human trafficking, or poor detection and reporting.
In addition, 85 cases of break-ins at schools, clinics and hospitals were labelled unsolved due to insufficient evidence. It is unacceptable that public institutions are repeatedly targeted while offenders are not successfully prosecuted.
The public deserves a police service that not only combats crime, but also delivers measurable results.
The police service urgently needs to account for the effectiveness of its strategies, the quality of investigations, and the number of successful prosecutions and convictions.
