Statistics Show a Decrease in Crime

Media Release
31 July 2008

Members of the media, as the department responsible for Safety and Security in the province, we are happy to announce that on average, incidents of criminality have decreased in Mpumalanga. The crime statistics from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 bear testimony to this great milestone, which is a sign that demonstrates the commitment displayed by the South African Police Services towards crime fighting.
It does not mean that this achievement warrants us to fold our hands and claim that we have won the war against crime. We still have a long way to walk with our communities in order to ensure peace of mind for all our people.
The province, among others implemented strategies that assisted in curbing crime in some of the crime flash points in the province. These strategies included the redirection of resources from provincial level to some priority stations. The stations include Witbank, Vosman, Kabokweni, Nelspruit and KaNyamazane, of which major impact has been achieved at these stations.
We welcome the progress made in some of the below listed areas which reflects on the challenges that we face as we move forward in our quest to create sustained conditions of peace and security for all.

CONTACT CRIMES

In the medium term, the government’s strategic goal is to reduce contact crime levels by between 7 and 10 %.
All eight contact crimes have decreased during the last financial year, with four of the eight categories showing significant decreases. Rape decreased by 23%, indecent assault cases by 14%, robbery with aggravating circumstances by 12%, common assault by 10%, and assault with the intention to do grievous bodily harm (Assault GBH) reduced by 7%. Murder and attempted murder have decreased by 4% respectively.

We have identified alcohol and drug abuse as one of the main generators of social contact crimes and in dealing with that, the foot patrols and izimbizo conducted in flashpoint areas to swoop on illegal taverns paid dividends and the department will continue with these initiatives.
Firearms, both legal and illegal also seem to be playing a hand in increased rates of murder and attempted murder. The police are continuously embarking in stops and searches. This has borne fruits as more than 490 illegal firearms were recovered.
In dealing with mob justice, the department will work with all other stakeholders in the Criminal Justice Cluster and CPFs to educate our communities about the processes involved from the moment a suspect is arrested until conviction and sentencing are made. More often than not, incidents of mob justice come as a result of the impatience that communities are having in our Criminal Justice System to deal with crime suspects.

On contact related crimes, I am happy to announce that cases of arson have dramatically decreased by 13%, and malicious damage to property decreased by 7%.

PROPERTY CRIMES

Although there has been a decrease of 4% in residential burglaries, theft of motor vehicles has decreased by 9% and theft out of or from motor vehicles decreased by 2%. Business burglaries have dramatically increased by 20% and stock theft has increased by 11%.
This shows that there is still a lot that need to be done in terms of stepping up our efforts in crime prevention measures, focusing on the above mentioned crimes.

Although certain categories have decreased, increases in house breakings both residential and business as well as stock theft are mostly attributable to the existence of markets for stolen goods. These markets include second hand dealerships and drug dealers who exchange their drugs for stolen property. SAPS would, as a measure to deal with stock theft, implement a Brand Marking Project in collaboration with local municipalities through IDP structures.

Also as measure to deal with property crimes, SAPS will increase personnel at the ports of entry as our borderline may have an impact on the increase in property crime as goods will then be smuggled through the illegal entrances as identified during my recent visit to the borderlines.

ROBBERY AGGRAVATED

Four out six categories of robberies with aggravating circumstances have increased. Truck hijacking has increased by 58%, house robbery by 54%, business robbery by 45% and car hijacking by 11%. The police must be commended for having managed to decrease cash in transits cases by 45% and bank robberies by 17% in the province.

CRIMES HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON POLICE ACTION FOR DETECTION

There has been a decrease of 11% in cases of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Drug related crimes decreased by 15%. However, there was an increase of 49% in cases of drunken driving. An increase in this category means that SAPS is doing very well as the detection of these cases is heavily dependent on police.
However, we need to enhance the government’s strategies, together with agencies that are responsible for road safety, in educating drivers about the outcome of drunken driving.

CHALLENGES

We further remain committed to decrease the contact crimes by between 7 and 10 %. It is not all doom and gloom as many of communities have shown their willingness to join hands with government in the fight against crime. This has been displayed by the level of participation in structures such as CPFs, police reservists, sector policing and patrol teams and also by merely reporting crime and giving valuable information to the police to solve crime cases.

I hope the recent efforts by the department of engaging business people to be active participants in the fight against crime will bear fruits in the near future, because it is a fact that crime affects everybody.

We are however gravely concerned by our inability to meet our set target in the category of murder and attempted murder for the period under review as there has only been a reduction of 4% in this regard.

Overall, there are about 49362 contact crime cases reported during 2006/7 and more than 44824 cases reported in 2007/8. This represents an overall decrease of 10%. Although there is a decrease in most contact crimes, the number of cases reported is still high.

For more information please contact Joseph Mabuza at 013 766 4055 / 082 678 1450 or Sibongile Nkosi at 013 759 1369 / 082 556 5574